With the National Highway Traffic Safety Adminstration’s online database of vehicle recalls now up and running, the National Automobile Dealers Association is hosting a webinar with a top NHTSA official to highlight how stores can use this Web resource.

Designed for dealers and their staffs, NADA highlighted the safety recall webinar will review the purpose and history of federal safety recalls and how best to access VIN-specific recall information on NHTSA’s website. Set to be the lead speaker during this 30-minute session is Jennifer Timian, chief of the recall management division within NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigations and Enforcement.

NHTSA rolled out this online database last month. Both dealers and consumers can use the site to find out if a vehicle is directly impacted by a recall.

In what also became effective in August under new a NHTSA mandate, all major light vehicle and motorcycle manufacturers are required to provide VIN search capability for uncompleted recalls on their own websites. Officials indicated this data must be updated at least weekly.

With all of those changes happening, NADA said, “The webinar will also touch on how recall determinations are made, how recall campaigns are conducted, and how NHTSA oversees the process.

“Dealership obligations, such as the new vehicle sales prohibition, will also be highlighted,” the association added.

The webinar will be moderated by Doug Greenhaus, NADA’s director of environment, health and safety. The session is scheduled for Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. ET. Dealers and their staffs can complete the registration here.

Association officials mentioned a webinar recording will also be made available on NADA University Online in late September.