Car owners should remain informed about their vehicles, whether they are being recalled or not, Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades said on Thursday, adding that any delays would be addressed and it was better to be inconvenienced than dead.

He called on all car owners to contact their distributors and find out if their vehicles were safe and what to do in case they were not.

Asked about conflicting information reaching the public, Vafeades said things should be put into perspective, first of all by making sure there was a continuous flow of information to car owners regarding recalls.

“This is important so we can all know the dangers we may be facing,” he said.

Any practical problems arising from the implementation of legislation would be solved, Vafeades added.

The transport minister said it may take some time but it was better to be inconvenienced than grieving lost lives.

Vafeades said the only ones aware of the true risks and the severity of each recall were the manufacturers, who informed the distributors.

He also said that cars owners whose vehicles would be immobilised while waiting for spare parts due to recalls would receive a form of refund on their road tax.