Editor:
My birth daughter, Amber Marie Rose, was killed when a dysfunctional ignition switch in her General Motors (GM) vehicle caused her car’s engine and electrical system to shut down and disable its air bags. This ignition switch defect— which GM tried to hide instead of fix— cost Amber and more than 120 people their lives.
Since Amber’s death, I’ve been advocating for important policy changes in the auto industry to ensure safety problems like this are never swept under the rug again. I’ve been working with several Maryland legislators to introduce the Amber Rose Bill (HB 982/SB 666), which would give free speech protections to Maryland auto dealers who wish to disclose potential issues to consumers.
Dealers constantly receive technical bulletins from car companies about issues, but disclosing these issues to their customers isn’t something that they are allowed to do under their franchise agreements. The Amber Rose Bill will change this practice and give local dealerships permission to share what they know with all consumers.
With so many policy issues to consider this year in Annapolis, it is important for our elected officials to know that their constituents want this bill’s passage to be a priority. That is why I’m asking the public to contact their state legislator and ask them to pass the Amber Rose Bill. It is time to curb the abusive practices that make it difficult for Maryland auto dealers to do the right thing for their customers. Maryland drivers deserve better!
Laura Christian
Harwood, MD