Government Fines Motorcycle Manufacturer For Safety Violations

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has fined Triumph Motorcycle Ltd. $2.9 million for violations of Safety Act reporting requirements and failure to fully respond to communications from the agency.

NHTSA issued a press release stating that the penalty originated from an investigation into a September 2014 recall that detailed a defect affecting the steering capability on more than 1,300 Triumph motorcycles.

The investigation into that vehicle defect recall started in April 2015 and looked at the company’s report submission timeline along other practices required by NHTSA guidelines.

Deficient Reporting Practices

The order issued to Triumph requires the company to pay a $1.4 million cash fine and spend at least $500,000 on improving its safety practices. An additional $1 million may be imposed if Triumph violates the order of if federal safety regulators discover any further violations.

The motorcycle manufacturer acknowledged that there were deficiencies in its reporting practices and that it had violated the Safety Act as a result. The penalty stems from Triumph’s September 2014 recall of more than 1,300 motorcycles for a defect that could reduce steering capability and increase the risk of a crash.

Defective Motorcycles

Laws relating to reporting of safety defects exist for a reason. A number of vehicle accidents, including motorcycle accidents, occur due to dangerous or defective vehicle parts. In this particular case, the steering capability in the vehicles was defective, increasing the risk of a crash.

Motorcycle accidents that result from defective parts can result in catastrophic or even fatal injuries.

If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident, which you suspect was caused by a defective vehicle or vehicle part, please be sure to preserve the vehicle in its current state, unaltered, so that an expert can thoroughly examine it for defects, malfunctions and design flaws.

Auto Product Liability Issues

If a defective motorcycle or part has caused your accident and injuries, you may be entitled to seek compensation for your injuries, damages and losses by filing a product liability claim against the manufacturer.

Injured victims can seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost wages, hospitalization, rehabilitation, pain and suffering and emotional distress.

Victims or families of deceased victims would also be well advised to contact a renowned auto product liability attorney who has successfully investigated these cases and won significant compensation for injured clients.

Bisnar Chase will always offer a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation to injured victims and their families.