Pub. 5 Issue 3

25 The California Attorney General will release guidance on how to implement the law, but it is unclear when that will happen. For now, enforcement of the CCPA will begin six months after the Attorney General’s regulations are released, or on July 1, 2020 at the latest. No Better Time to Evaluate Dealership Website Accessibility BY CHARLIE GILCHRIST D ealers are in the business of providing excellent ser- vice to our customers.We are all aware that deliver- ing great customer service requires a certain degree of tailoring our service to best serve each and every cus- tomer, including those with disabilities. Customers with hearing, sight or physi- cal disabilities rely on assistive technolo- gies — such as screen readers, text en- largement tools, and programs to control computers by voice — to allow for the use of their computers. For these tools to work and give access to people with disabilities, websites must be coded appropriately on the back end. If a dealership’s website is not compatible with assistive technolo- gies, disabled customers may not be able to shop for vehicles, make online parts purchases or learn about what our dealer- ships have to offer. For many years, the U.S. Department of Justice has stated that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to public-facing commercial websites, urging businesses to make websites accessible to those with disabilities. Dealers have taken action and adapted their websites as nec- essary. However, some dealers are facing legal action from plaintiffs who assert that the dealership’s website does not provide equal access under the ADA. To avoid ex- pensive litigation, dealerships have often settled their claims with these plaintiffs. As we’re all aware, website accessi- bility is a complicated undertaking as a majority of our dealership websites are mandated by OEMs and involve third- party website developers, vendors and content providers. Each third-party entity has a level of control for the content of our websites, which adds a layer of complexity to website accessibility. It is a good time for franchised new-car dealers to evaluate their websites for ac- cessibility and reaffirm our commitment to website accessibility. NADA continues to monitor the is- sue at a macro level, including the degree to which OEMs and third-party website vendors are collaborating to ensure tem- plates and content is accessible to those with disabilities. NADA has developed a FAQ document to help dealers navigate ADA compliance and accessibility for their own websites. ADA accessibility companies, such as Accessible, AudioEye and UserWay, can be an additional resource to assist dealerships with accessibility, particularly as websites are updated continuously and must be evaluated on an ongoing basis to ensure compliance. Let’s audit our website’s accessibility and ensuring our websites can serve all of our customers.  Charlie Gilchrist, 2019 NADA chairman, is president of Gilchrist Automotive in thegreater Dallas-Ft.Worth