Travelers are worried about car rental safety. Here’s how to avoid a problem

Everything seemed fine when Josie Daigle rented a car in Boston from a national chain. A quick look was all she gave the car rental safety check. The cursory glance at the vehicle before she drove off with her two young kids suggested the car was safe.

It wasn’t safe. The tires were bald.

Halfway to her destination, her left rear tire blew out. Daigle, who works for a medical evacuation company in Lebanon, N.H., pulled over and phoned her rental company for help.

“When the tow driver showed up, he was floored that the rental company allowed me to drive off the lot with car tires in poor condition,” she recalls. “He thought maybe I had been driving it for weeks because of how bald the tires were.”

Car rental safety is a growing concern

Azari Jones, the rental car practice lead at J.D. Power, says car rental companies are being more careful than ever about renting potentially unsafe vehicles, such as cars with faulty equipment — like tires without adequate tread.

“There’s also the potential devastating legal liability that would come with renting less-than-safe vehicles,” she adds.

But they’re not perfect. For example, the car rental industry in the U.S. doesn’t release safety information on a national level, and Jones says car rental companies could make information about safety and inspections more easily accessible to their customers. 

In the meantime, travelers must take matters into their own hands when it comes to car rental safety. That includes renting from mobility companies that take safety seriously and knowing how to inspect a car before driving it off the lot.

“Rental car safety should be a top priority for travelers,” says Raymond Yorke, a spokesman for Redpoint Travel Protection.

How car rental companies handle vehicle safety.

Every major car rental company has safety standards, but they are often difficult to verify. For example, Hertz recently promoted some of its technology-enabled safety features such as reverse cameras and parking sensors, but a recent check of its website failed to reveal any systematic safety standards.

So what’s under the hood of these standards? Enterprise Mobility has what’s called a Standard of Care, a set of best practices to ensure its vehicles are maintained at a high standard.

The standards are proactive, according to Bridget Long, Enterprise Mobility’s senior vice president for North American operations. A recent poll on behalf of Enterprise Mobility found that the average car on the road is 13 years old. (Most rental vehicles, on the other hand, are replaced between 45,000 and 60,000 miles.)

“A newer, more reliable rental vehicle equipped with the latest technology is not only often more fuel efficient but also can offer upgraded features that make travel easier,” says Long.

Enterprise’s standards of care include vehicle maintenance and safety inspections. Enterprise Mobility’s car rental brands (Enterprise, National and Alamo) either follow or exceed manufacturer guidelines for tire replacement and oil changes and give every rental vehicle a visual inspection after a return.

“This extra step offers you peace of mind,” says Long.

Strategies for ensuring you have a safe car.

If you’re renting a car, experts say you shouldn’t compromise on safety — ever.

“Car rental companies often conduct regular maintenance checks and adhere to strict safety standards,” explains Frank Harrison, regional security director for the Americas at World Travel Protection. “If you do not see a mechanical inspection and maintenance sticker on the windshield or prominently in the interior, ask for proof of the last service.”

Know what’s required. Kristan De Graaf, owner of the exotic car rental company Elite Rentals Dubai, says rental companies should ensure that all their vehicles undergo regular safety checks and maintenance. The requirements vary by country, so it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the requirements in advance. “This helps customers feel confident in the safety of their rental.”

A visual inspection is a must. Yorke is right; a careful visual inspection is mandatory. “Check for obvious issues like worn tires, dashboard warning lights, and brakes that don’t feel right,” says Shawn Miller, founder of the car site Modified Rides.

Check for recalls. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a site that lets you run the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) through its database to check for recalls. If you’re concerned about safety, take an extra minute to type your VIN into the site to make sure the car is good to go.

What should you do if you feel unsafe? 

“Speak up immediately,” advises Amanda Demanda, a personal injury lawyer from Miami. “If something feels off when you’re driving it, turn right back around and ask for a replacement vehicle. The rental car company should provide you with another vehicle or help you to make other arrangements.”

But that’s not all.

As it turns out, Daigle, the woman with the blown tire, wasn’t done learning about car rental safety. 

Her rental company had arranged for her to pick up a new car at a nearby airport.

“When I got my replacement car, I was alerted that the car had low tire pressure,” she remembers.

No kidding.

The third time was the charm.

This time, she took the expert advice and asked for a different car.. The car worked fine, and Daigle learned an important lesson about car rental safety: Despite all the promises the car rental industry may make, never take safety for granted — and always check the car before you drive off the lot.

That’s timely advice. With summer in the rearview mirror and the fall travel season just ahead, driving a car with bald tires or bad brakes in rain or snow may be more than inconvenient. It could lead to a serious accident. And no one wants their trip to end at the side of the road, waiting for a tow truck.