Detroit, MI — April 13, 2015 — If a new vehicle is involved in a manufacture recall, then buyers need to be dissuaded from buying it and made aware of the relevant legal actions. However, it appears that many dealerships are going against the law by selling cars currently being affected by a recall order. This puts them at risk and the consumer in possible danger.

ABC News uncovered this disturbing trend in a recent report that assessed car dealerships to see if they would sell a new vehicle under a recall. One salesman at a dealership in Hawthorne, New Jersey, sold an undercover producer a car that was under recall for a serious motive issue that would cause it to “unexpectedly shift into neutral.”

When confronted with his behavior, the salesperson admitted he had made a mistake, and the president of the dealership he works for issued a statement saying that it will take special steps to address vehicle issues from now on. The source also includes comments from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on the very real dangers posed when proper recall practices are not upheld.

“Selling a new vehicle that is under recall but has not been remedied is a violation of the law and a risk to public safety,” the organization said. “There is no excuse for dealers to sell new vehicles while under recall, and NHTSA has penalized dealers who have failed to meet their safety responsibilities, including two in just the last six months.”

Spreading accurate information about a recall could help promote best practices in identifying and reporting possibly damaged vehicles. To avoid behavior that could lead to an illegal sale, recall notices should be distributed through wide-reaching and effective systems that meet industry expectations.