If not for statutory cap, Toyota would face civil penalties of $13.8 billion

[Omaha Steve]

Source: washington Post

By Peter Whoriskey

If not for statutory limits, Toyota would be subject to civil penalties of $13.8 billion for waiting to notify federal regulators of a sticky pedal defect, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration told the automaker in a letter.

The regulators announced this week that they are seeking to fine the automaker only a small fraction of that amount, or $16.4 million, the highest possible penalty under the law.

"The gravity of Toyota's apparent violations is severe and potentially life-threatening," NHTSA chief counsel O. Kevin Vincent wrote to Toyota in a letter dated April 5. "The result of these decisions by Toyota was to expose millions of American drivers, passengers and pedestrians to the dangers of driving with a defective accelerator pedal."

Under the law, the penalty for failing to notify regulators of a safety defect is $6,000 a car. Toyota had to recall 2.3 million for the sticky pedal.


Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/09/AR2010040905132.html

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Boxes containing documents on Toyota cases are ready to be wheeled into a federal courthouse in San Diego, where dozens of lawsuits against the carmaker will be consolidated. (Jae C. Hong/associated Press)

[KILL THE WISE ONE]

1. what about criminal charges for their personhood ?

[jody]

2. Corporations don't serve time for murder in a corporate state.

[eppur_se_muova]

3. Make it a coporate DP. The right wing *loves* them some Death Penalty! nt

[TexasObserver]

4. Corporations are free to kill, and free from prosecution for it.

[gmoney]

5. 1/10th of 1 percent? Nice settlement...

Can't we just levy the fine a thousand different times?