Michigan Drivers, Remove This From Your Steering Wheel Now

There are so many ways to make your car uniquely yours these days. From custom floor mats, seat covers, and dashboard covers. But, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says there is one custom fixture Michigan drivers should remove now from your steering wheel.

NHTSA Consumer Alert for Drivers

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is warning drivers not to buy steering wheel decals for all vehicle makes and models. These are aftermarket plastic or metal plates, usually covered with rhinestones or other shiny decorations, with an adhesive back that covers the vehicle’s logo in the center of the steering wheel. If you have already applied a steering wheel decorative emblem decal, the NHS says they should be removed immediately.

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Dangers of Decals

The agency emphasizes that these decals could transform into dangerous projectiles in a crash, posing a risk of serious or even fatal injury. These aftermarket decals can easily become dislodged when the air bag is deployed, unlike the permanently affixed logo. NHTSA also says that these decals can interfere with the function of the airbag as well.

In a statement issued by the NHTSA, one driver was seriously injured that resulted in the loss of sight in one eye, after an aftermarket emblem adorned with rhinestones became dislodged from the steering wheel in a crash and hit the driver in the face. The statement does not specify any particular products or manufacturers. According to Kelley Blue Book, over 400,000 vehicles are subject to a recall due to the potential detachment of their steering-wheel-mounted emblems, posing a risk of becoming projectiles in the event of an accident.