It was 8 years ago when two sisters died in a car accident on their way home from visiting their mom in California. Their car suddenly crossed the median and hit a tractor trailer head on. What they did not know was that the rental car they were driving had been recalled, but the rental car company never had it repaired.
An article on CNN.com has brought this issue to light as well as the fight that their mother is pursuing now, to improve rental car safety. In the case of her daughters, the PT Cruiser that they rented had been recalled because power steering fluid could leak and catch fire under the hood. But the rental company did not have this issue fixed. In fact, the car had been rented out 3 other times since the recall was issued and before the fatal crash that killed the 2 sisters.
According to the article, the mother is hoping to get rental car companies to pledge in writing that effective immediately, they will make a permanent commitment not to rent out or sell any vehicles under safety recall until any defects have been remedied.
Until this issue is addressed by all rental car companies, we urge our clients and those in our community to be aware of any safety issues with any rental vehicle they may be driving. The summer is a prime time for families and individuals to rent vehicles when they plan on taking a long trip. If you know the car that you will be renting, you can visit the following federal website to see if your vehicle has been recalled: www.recalls.gov.
Have a safe and happy summer!