When renting a car, we assume it is safe and drivable. However, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) found that many rental car companies were allowing customers to rent cars under a safety recall without fixing the defect first.
As on June 1, 2016 “federal law now prohibits any company or dealer with fleets greater than 35 vehicles to rent unrepaired recalled vehicles.” The new law also allows for safety agencies to actively investigate and penalize rental car companies who violate this new ruling.
This ruling comes after the death of two sisters who were killed in an accident involving their rental car that was under a safety recall. NHTSA Administrator Dr. Mark Rosekind states,“It’s critical that every recalled vehicle, whether new, used, rented or leased, is repaired as soon as possible. Rental agencies operate some of the largest fleets, so this law will go a long way in ensuring the cars and trucks on the road are safe.”
We suggest the best course of action is to simply ask your rental car agents if the vehicle you are about to rent is subject to an outstanding safety recall. If they don’t tell you, they’re deceiving you. Consumers can use NHTSA’s free Recall Look-up Tool to determine if a vehicle has an open safety recall that needs to be addressed.
No family should have to go through this type of ordeal. The Law Offices of Larry H. Parker has helped hundreds of victims hold negligent companies accountable for their dangerous products. Contact us today at (800) 333-0000 for a free consultation if you’ve been injured by a dangerous product. We can help you through these difficult times.
