In March of 2005, the driver of a rented Saturn Ion lost control of the vehicle on a rural road. The driver and her ex-husband were killed in the crash and their daughter suffered serious injuries. Authorities attributed the crash to a braking and steering defect. In January of 2006, the driver of a rented Chevy Cobalt hit a tree, killing the driver. The airbag did not deploy. In September of 2006, a driver in a rented Chevy Cobalt lost control of the vehicle. The driver, who was wearing a seat belt, was killed when the vehicle rolled over. The airbag did not deploy, and the driver was killed. In the wake of these accidents, Enterprise and Vanguard Car Rental USA implored General Motors to inspect these vehicles for defects.
These rental car incidents were disclosed after Bloomberg News received documents from a Freedom of Information Act. The documents add evidence to the narrative that GM was aware of the defects in their vehicles many years before recalls to address faulty ignition switches. Rental car companies requested that GM investigate at least nine vehicles for airbag failures.
See the full Bloomberg News article here.
If you or a loved one has experienced a car crash that you believe is the result of or was made worse by a faulty ignition switch, contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker today at (800) 333-0000 for a free consultation.
