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Whistleblower Act and Program
for Motor Vehicle Auto Safety

Under the Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Act, whistleblowers can help enforce motor vehicle safety standards.

Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Act and Program Background

The motor vehicle safety whistleblower program incentivizes motor vehicle industry insiders to report safety-related defects and violations. Under the program, qualifying whistleblowers can receive a monetary award if information they provide leads to sanctions exceeding $1 million.

Congress passed the Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Act (“Vehicle Safety Act”) in December 2015 as part of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act. The Vehicle Safety Act creates a whistleblower program overseen by the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Safety Administration (“NHTSA”).

The key components of the Vehicle Safety Act whistleblower program include the following:

  • Anyone who is an employee or contractor of a motor vehicle manufacturer, part supplier, or dealership can be a whistleblower.
  • Original information relating to motor vehicle safety violations can qualify for an award.
  • Whistleblower awards range from 10% – 30% of monetary sanctions over $1,000,000.
  • The award amount is determined, in part, by whether the whistleblower tried to report their information internally; the significance of the whistleblower’s information; and how much the whistleblower assisted the government.
  • Whistleblowers’ identities are kept confidential, with narrow exceptions.
  • Motor vehicle employers cannot retaliate against employees who blow the whistle on motor vehicle safety violations.
  • Safety violations occurring outside of the United States can fall under the Motor Safety Act if some of the vehicles or parts at issue are sold or distributed to the United States. Similarly, whistleblowers outside of the United States can report violations.

How the Whistleblower Act Helps Enforce Motor Vehicle Safety

In November 2021, the NHTSA issued its first whistleblower award. The NHTSA awarded over $24 million to a whistleblower who gave information about Hyundai and Kia’s inaccurate reporting of defective engines and untimely car recalls. This award was the maximum 30% allowed under the Vehicle Safety Act.

In announcing the award, NHTSA’s Deputy Administrator Steven Cliff stated that “[w]histleblowers play a crucial role in bringing information to NHTSA about serious safety problems that are hidden from the agency.” He added that “[t]his information is critical to public safety and we are committed to rewarding those who bring information to us.”

Contact Us

If you work in the motor vehicle industry and think you may have information relating to a vehicle safety defect or violation, fill out our contact form or call us at (212) 376-5666 for an obligation-free evaluation of your potential case.

We represent our whistleblower clients on a contingent fee basis, meaning that an attorney’s fee is paid only if your case is successful.