Recalled Car Rentals: Bill Proposed to Stop These Rentals

According to a recent article from Claims Journal, “U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer of New York said he will introduce a bill to stop car rental agencies from renting automobiles that are under recalls for problems that aren’t yet fixed.” According to the article, “The industry this month proposed a two-tiered system in which cars would be kept off the road if the recall involved serious safety issues. Recalls considered less serious would be fixed as soon as possible, but the cars wouldn’t be ‘grounded’ until then, under the proposal by the American Car Rental Association.”

Schumer said, “Rental car agencies appear more interested in reaping profit by keeping recalled vehicles on the road then they do with ensuring the safety of individuals and families who are driving their cars.” As stated in the article, Schumer also said “the law is needed because of serious crashes in recent years involving rental cars under recalls. He said car rental agencies must be held to the same standard as automobile dealerships that don’t lease cars for longer terms until a problem identified in a recall is fixed.”

Here are some important facts from the article:

• The American Car Rental Association said its two-tiered system would make sure unsafe cars aren’t rented but also wouldn’t keep cars off the road unnecessarily.
• The association said neither manufacturers nor the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives clear direction on which recalls pose a serious risk that must be fixed before a car can be operated.
• According to the association’s website, “Currently all vehicle owners, including rental companies, must decide whether to continue to operate vehicles subject to a recall based on the information provided by the manufacturer and the NHTSA in the recall notice.”

Schumer also said that all recalled vehicles should be off the road until they’re fixed. He also said, “The latest proposal by car rental companies to create a vague double-standard that defines some recalled cars as safe and others as dangerous allows these companies to shirk their responsibility to consumers’ safety.” According to the article, Schumer also said a consumer who rents a car, unlike a private owner, won’t be notified that the car is under recall.

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