Life for California motorists is about to get significantly safer. Today, California Governor Jerry Brown signed
AB 2873, authored by Assemblymember Evan Low, into law. This landmark legislation will require Personal Vehicle Sharing Programs, such as Turo and GetAround, to ensure that vehicles offered via their platforms are free from dangerous unrepaired safety recalls. This growing sector of the auto market is often called the "Airbnb" of the auto world. To their credit, Turo and GetAround not only supported the bill, but are the official sponsors, and are setting the standard for the entire PVSP industry. The new law is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2019.

Unlike rental car companies, which rented out vehicles without repairing safety recalls until the tragic deaths of Raechel and Jacqueline Houck, who were ages 20 and 24 when they were killed by an unrepaired recalled rented Chrysler PT Cruiser in a horrific crash near Santa Cruz, Turo and GetAround did not wait for tragedy to strike before deciding to take this important step to ensure that their customers are protected from the potentially deadly consequences of driving or riding in a dangerously defective recalled car.

"I am grateful to the Governor for signing this important consumer safety measure. This bill is a proactive step in preventing future tragedies as the car sharing market continues to grow," said Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Palo Alto), author of AB 2873.

"Thanks to the leadership of Assemblymember Low, Turo and GetAround's taking a strong stand for safety, and Governor Brown's foresight in signing this lifesaving measure into law, all California motorists and their families, and others who share the roads, will be significantly safer," said Rosemary Shahan, President of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, which worked closely with the author, his staff, and the proponents of the bill, for passage.

People who seek to share their vehicles via PVSP platforms will benefit from the new law, when they learn that their vehicles have unrepaired safety recalls, and that they need to get the recall repairs done at an authorized new car dealership before they can share them. Many times, consumers don't receive the safety recall notices, particularly if they are not the first owner. Or if they do receive the notice in the mail, they may discard it, thinking it's junk mail, or may not realize how important it is to get the repairs done. People who obtain transportation via vehicle-sharing companies will also benefit, by getting safer cars.


 

 

The legislation was also actively supported by two parents who lost daughters due to hazardous unrepaired recalled cars -- Cally Houck, Mother of Raechel and Jacqueline Houck, whose tireless advocacy was crucial in winning enactment of federal legislation signed by President Obama, named for Raechel and Jackie, that prohibits rental car companies with fleets of 35 or more vehicles from renting, loaning or selling recalled vehicles unless the safety recall defects have been repaired; and Alexander Brangman, whose daughter Jewel was killed by a recalled rental car with an exploding Takata airbag. Alexander has become an internationally known leading advocate for ensuring that all of the tens of millions of cars with ticking time-bomb Takata airbags are repaired, in order to spare others the horrendous loss he has suffered. Rental car companies initially opposed the federal legislation, but eventually joined in supporting it, and asked to be regulated."I'm grateful to Governor Brown for signing this very important, nation leading legislation, that will undoubtedly save lives. Turo and GetAround have also shown themselves to take an assertive step in their industry by leading by example. The unfortunate loss of Cally Houck's daughters, Raechel and Jacqueline and my daughter, Jewel, will hopefully emphasize the importance of this legislation," said Alexander Brangman.

Cally Houck praised the sponsors of AB 2873, saying that "Turo and Getaround are to be commended for not waiting for a tragedy to do the right thing and ensure that vehicles they offer are free from dangerous unrepaired safety recalls."

More than 57 million recalled cars are on the roads in the U.S. -- more than 1 out of every 5 has at least one unrepaired safety recall defect. Typical defects that lead to safety recalls: catching on fire, loss of steering, brake failure, exploding airbags cause blindness or bleeding to death, seat belts that fail in a crash, wheels that fall off, and sticking accelerator pedals.

Link to new law: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB2873