ASA meets with Capitol Hill leaders regarding crash replacement parts

The Automotive Service Association (ASA) hosted a "Taking the Hill" Fly-In and AMI Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., May 11-12 for its members. Independent automotive repairers from across the country met with their senators and representatives to discuss how replacement crash parts affect consumers.

ASA leaders met with members of the U.S. House and Senate to hone in on consumer consent to the use of replacement crash parts in vehicle repair, as well as to encourage Congress to work with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to ensure the regulation of replacement crash parts. Collision repairers are increasingly concerned with the lack of regulation of automotive replacement crash parts. Further, ASA's policy for automotive replacement crash parts has been for many years that consumers should have notice as to the types of crash parts that are used to repair their vehicle and give written consent for the use of these parts.

Independent repairers are concerned with some insurance companies encouraging the use of these unregulated parts based on cost without consideration for quality and safety. The lack of regulation of the replacement crash parts industry opens the vehicle owner and independent repairer to a host of quality and safety concerns.

Photographs of meetings on Capitol Hill will soon be posted to ASA's legislative Web site at a www.takingthehill.com.