As of June 1. 2016, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced new legislation that rental car agencies must fix any and all open safety defects prior to renting out vehicles to customers.
This means that federal law now prohibits any dealer or company with a fleet of over 35 vehicles to rent unrepaired recalled vehicles. Rental car agencies have some of the largest vehicle fleets, so this law will be very effective ensure that vehicles on the road are safe.
The purpose behind this law being to allow consumers to expect that the rental car in their use will be free of any known safety defect. In other words, rental car agencies are now required to get any recall fixed that pertains to their vehicles. This law further protects U.S. motorists, making sure that every recalled vehicle regardless of whether it is rented or leased, new or used, is repaired.
According to NHTSA, “In 2014, there were close to 900 recalls affecting 51 million vehicles nationwide.” If you want to determine if a vehicle has an open safety recall that needs to be addressed, use NHTSA’s free Recall Look-Up Tool. With this tool, car owners can regularly check their vehicles for recalls in an easy, quick way.
Visit our blog on automotive recalls for more information on combating the issue of recalls and what you can do to become more aware. Remember, recalls are enacted to keep drivers safe, so it is important to acknowledge whether your vehicle needs to be fixed.
However, not everyone takes care of their vehicle’s recall, as 25% of recalled vehicles are left unrepaired. This puts every driver at risk, whether they are in the unsafe vehicle or not. NHTSA has the goal of 100 percent remedy completion rates of recalls and this law will help it to reach that.
If you or a loved one have been injured in an auto accident, do not hesitate to contact us or call us at (800) 676-5295. We are happy to answer any questions you may have and help you determine your options.
