If you are like most people who rent a car, you likely have not thought much about how safe the car is. After all, rental cars are generally fairly knew and surely they have gone through safety checks – right? A law passed within the last few years makes it clear that was not always the case and it may not be the case in the future. Read on to learn more. If you are injured in a car accident, reach out to The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000 for a free legal consultation.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found something concerning
The entire issue involved a shocking discovery by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, also known as the NHTSA. They found that numerous car rental companies were actually renting out cars that were under safety recalls. What’s worse, they often knew of the issue, did not get it fixed, and simply let their cars be rented in this damaged state.
The law was changed two years ago
In June of 2016, a federal law was passed that prohibits companies or dealers with fleets of more than 35 vehicles to rent a vehicle that has been recalled and not repaired. The law also gives power to safety agencies to investigate and penalize any rental car company that violates this ruling. Note that this only applies to companies that have more than 35 vehicles. If you rent from a small local dealer with a fleet of just 20, then they may not be subject to this law.
The law was created as a result of a serious accident
The law came after two sisters died in a car accident in which they were driving a rental car. The rental car they were driving was under an active safety recall. The administrator for the NHTSA, Dr. mark Rosekind, was supportive of the law. He stated that because rental car companies often have some of the largest fleets of vehicles, that those vehicles should be compared as quickly as they can.
Ask your rental agent before renting a car
Though the law has changed, we still recommend that you talk to your rental car agent before you rent a car. Simply ask them if the car you are being given has been subject to a safety recall. You can also use the free NHTSA Recall Look-Up Tool to find out if the car you are about to get into has an open safety recall that should be addressed.
No one should have to deal with the loss of a family member and it is even more shocking and heartbreaking when it is the result of a rental company simply not doing their job. To learn more about how these companies can be held responsible for deaths and injuries that happened due to their negligence, contact The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker at 800-333-0000. If you believe you have a case then we are happy to offer a free legal consultation.
