(COLORADO) — The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will be issuing letters to the owners of recalled vehicles later in February.

According to the DMV, “There are over 66,000 vehicles with defective airbags still on Colorado roads. The letters, which will be sent in mid-February, inform owners of recalled vehicles that the airbags could kill or seriously injure drivers and passengers if they deploy.”

There is a defective part inside the airbags that can explode on deployment creating a potentially dangerous shrapnel situation. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that there have been 24 deaths in the U.S. while hundreds more have been injured due to this defect.

“Drivers who were not the original owners of their vehicle may not be aware of an open safety recall or inadvertently dismissed the notification from the manufacturer. Together with stakeholders, the DMV is sending out letters at no cost to Colorado taxpayers,” the DMV said.

Renewing vehicle registration will not be affected by an open safety recall. The DMV recommends that customers check Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) for any open safety recalls through the NHTSA website.

The DMV said, “The letter directs vehicle owners to schedule appointments at local dealerships for immediate free recall repairs. It also urges owners to take immediate action even if their vehicles have been previously repaired due to temporary replacement parts being used on some vehicles. These vehicles now require permanent repairs.”