Call Now 202-960-4596
Posted by: Salvatore J. Zambri, founding partner
During a recent California court case involving the deaths of two women, executives of the country’s largest car rental company admitted to renting vehicles known to be under safety recalls. According to testimony by Enterprise (parent company for Alamo and National) executives, there was no company policy to require cars under recall to be held back from rental. A subsequent investigative report by ABC News also revealed that neither Avis nor Hertz have company-wide policies regarding recalled vehicles, but evaluate safety recalls on a case by case basis. After the trial and admission of negligence, Enterprise issued a statement of their procedures for automobile manufacturers’ recalls.
Essentially, car rental agencies have taken the attitude that demand trumps safety. By doing so, are they also putting profits over safety? Consumers need to become their own advocates in matters of safety and recalls. When renting a vehicle, ask what types of vehicles are available, then do your own research at SaferCar.gov, a special portion of the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website.
As I have advocated frequently on this blog, safety and people must be put above profits.
Any questions about this post?
About the author:
Mr. Zambri is a board-certified civil trial attorney by the National Board of Trial Advocates and a Past-President of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C. He has been rated by Washingtonian magazine as a “Big Gun” and among the “top 1%” of all lawyers in the Washington metropolitan area. The magazine also describes him as “one of Washington’s best–most honest and effective lawyers” who specializes in personal injury matters, including premises liability, product liability, medical malpractice, and automobile accident claims. Mr. Zambri has also been named a “Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyer magazine (March/April 2010)–a national publication that honors the top lawyers in America.
If you have any questions about your legal rights, please email Mr. Zambri at [email protected] or call him at 202-822-1899.
