1. Introduction
Statewide Automotive Center, Inc., doing business as Statewide Automotive (“Statewide Automotive,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you share with us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you visit our website at statewide-auto.com (the “Site”), contact us through the Site, or request service, an estimate, or information from us.
We are a family-owned automotive repair business located at 355 Granary Road, Suite D, Forest Hill, Maryland 21050, and we operate in the State of Maryland. This Privacy Policy is written to reflect our obligations under applicable Maryland law, including the Maryland Personal Information Protection Act.
By using the Site or submitting information to us, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with it, please do not use the Site or submit information through it.
This Privacy Policy applies only to information collected through the Site. It does not apply to information you provide to us in person, over the phone, or through channels we do not own or control.
2. Information We Collect
We collect information in three ways: information you give us directly, information collected automatically when you use the Site, and information we may receive from third parties.
2.1 – Information you provide to us
When you complete a request or estimate form, send us a message, or otherwise contact us through the Site, we may collect:
- Your name;
- Your phone number and email address;
- Your vehicle’s year, make, and model, if provided;
- Details about the service you are requesting or the message you send us;
- Your preferred method of contact (call, text, or email); and
- Any other information you choose to include in your message.
2.2 – Information collected automatically
When you visit the Site, certain information may be collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies (see Section 4), including:
- Your device’s Internet Protocol (IP) address;
- Browser type and version, operating system, and device type;
- The pages you view, links you click, and the dates and times of your visits;
- The website or source that referred you to the Site; and
- General, approximate location derived from your IP address.
2.3 – Information from third parties
We may receive information about you from third-party services we use to operate the Site or communicate with customers, such as website analytics providers, our website host, form and email service providers, mapping services, and platforms where customers leave reviews (for example, Google).
We do not intentionally collect payment card numbers or other financial account information through the Site. Payments are handled in person or through separate third-party processors that maintain their own privacy and security practices.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Respond to your inquiries and provide the estimates, information, or service you request;
- Contact you using the method you selected — call, text, or email — to schedule or confirm service;
- Operate, maintain, improve, and secure the Site;
- Understand how visitors use the Site so we can make it better;
- Send you service-related communications and, where you have agreed to receive them, occasional updates, offers, or promotions;
- Detect, prevent, and address fraud, security issues, and technical problems; and
- Comply with our legal obligations and enforce our terms and policies.
We do not use the information you provide to make automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects about you.
4. Cookies and Similar Technologies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. We and our service providers may use cookies and similar technologies to operate the Site, remember your preferences, understand how the Site is used, and, where applicable, support marketing. Common categories include:
- Essential cookies, which are necessary for the Site to function;
- Analytics cookies, which help us understand how visitors interact with the Site;
- Functional cookies, which remember choices you make; and
- Advertising cookies, which may be used to measure or support marketing.
You can control cookies through your browser settings, including by deleting or blocking them. If you block essential cookies, some parts of the Site may not work properly. We also honor recognized browser-based opt-out signals as described in Section 11.
5. Text Message (SMS) Communications
If you select “text” as your preferred method of contact, or otherwise provide your mobile number and agree to be contacted by text, we may send you text messages about your service request. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. You can opt out at any time by replying STOP, and you can reply HELP for assistance. We do not sell or share mobile phone numbers with third parties for their own marketing purposes.
6. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising or targeted advertising. We do not sell sensitive personal data under any circumstances. We share information only as described below:
- Service providers. We share information with vendors that perform services for us, such as website hosting, analytics, form processing, email delivery, and marketing support. These providers may use the information only to perform services for us and are required by written agreement to protect it, consistent with Maryland law.
- Legal and safety reasons. We may disclose information where required by law, regulation, legal process, or a governmental request, or where we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety or the safety of others, or to investigate fraud.
- Business transfers. If Statewide Automotive is involved in a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or similar transaction, information may be transferred as part of that transaction.
- With your consent. We may share information for any other purpose we disclose to you at the time and with your consent.
7. Third-Party Websites and Embedded Services
The Site may contain links to third-party websites and may include embedded content or tools, such as maps, review widgets, or social media links. We do not control these third parties, and this Privacy Policy does not apply to them. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party services you use.
8. Data Retention
We keep personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, to provide the service you requested, and to meet our legal, tax, and recordkeeping obligations. When information is no longer needed, we take reasonable steps to securely destroy, erase, or de-identify it, consistent with the Maryland Personal Information Protection Act.
9. How We Protect Your Information
We maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, use, modification, disclosure, or destruction, consistent with the requirements of the Maryland Personal Information Protection Act. We also require our service providers, by written contract, to implement appropriate protections for personal information they handle on our behalf.
No website or method of transmitting or storing information is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. If a data breach affects the personal information of Maryland residents, we will investigate and provide notice as required by the Maryland Personal Information Protection Act.
10. Your Privacy Choices and Rights
Choices available to everyone
You may:
- Decline to provide information, though this may limit our ability to respond to your request;
- Opt out of marketing emails using the unsubscribe link, and opt out of text messages by replying STOP;
- Control cookies through your browser settings; and
- Contact us to review, update, or correct the information you have provided.
Maryland residents
Maryland has enacted the Maryland Online Data Privacy Act (MODPA), which grants Maryland consumers certain rights over their personal data, including the rights to:
- Confirm whether we process your personal data and access that data;
- Correct inaccuracies in your personal data;
- Request deletion of your personal data;
- Obtain a copy of your personal data in a portable format; and
- Opt out of the sale of personal data, targeted advertising, and certain profiling.
MODPA applies only to businesses that meet specific thresholds for the volume of consumer data they process. Based on the nature and size of our business, we may not be a covered entity under MODPA. Even so, we respect these principles. We will make reasonable efforts to honor verifiable requests from Maryland residents to access, correct, or delete the personal information we hold, and to opt out of marketing. To make a request, contact us using the information in Section 14.
Verifying requests and how we respond
To protect your privacy, we may need to verify your identity before acting on a request, and we may ask for information sufficient to confirm who you are. We will not discriminate against you for exercising a privacy right. If we decline a request, we will explain why and, where required, provide a way to appeal that decision.
11. Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control
Some browsers offer a “Do Not Track” (DNT) setting. Because there is no common industry standard for DNT, the Site may not respond to DNT signals. However, where required by law, we honor recognized universal opt-out mechanisms, such as the Global Privacy Control (GPC), that communicate a visitor’s choice to opt out of the sale of personal data or targeted advertising.
12. Children’s Privacy
The Site is intended for a general audience and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with information, please contact us and we will take appropriate steps to delete it. Consistent with Maryland law, we do not sell the personal data of, or engage in targeted advertising toward, any consumer we know to be under 18.
13. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or the law. When we make changes, we will revise the “Effective Date” shown above. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of the Site after changes take effect means you accept the updated Privacy Policy.
14. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise a privacy choice, please contact us:
Statewide Automotive Center, Inc.
355 Granary Road, Suite D
Forest Hill, MD 21050
Phone: 410.877.9084
Email: service@statewide-auto.com
