rental truck citation

[oracle117]

california

person was driving a rental truck that they just picked up. police pulled them over and gave a citation for driving with headlight out. person said it was a rental truck and they just got it and will take it back to them to fix, but police gave them a citation anyway. person got a new light right away (paid for it themselves) but never went and had the police sign off that they got it fixed. then there was a court date since it had not been signed off. now the person has to pay fine/penalties. i know person was stupid and should have followed up to get it signed off, but can you get a citation for a light out on a rental truck? or does it not matter who owns the truck that you were driving it was the issue?

Originally Posted by oracle117

...can you get a citation for a light out on a rental truck? or does it not matter who owns the truck that you were driving it was the issue?

I'm a bit curious about this myself. Although I've never been stopped for such an offense, say your light goes out that night on the way home or something, and it's like 3 AM even, and there's not much you can do? Even saying you fix it the next day, one would think/hope that the courts would give you some kind of time frame to get it fixed by. I wonder if you go to court, show the receipt or repair order or whatever from who fixed it and when, they'd led you off. Then again, I have no idea where the law lays with this in CA, or PA for that matter. Logically, I would think it's the owner's (whoever is on the registration; company or individual) responsibility to maintain the vehicle.

[HomeGuru]

Originally Posted by oracle117

california

person was driving a rental truck that they just picked up. police pulled them over and gave a citation for driving with headlight out. person said it was a rental truck and they just got it and will take it back to them to fix, but police gave them a citation anyway. person got a new light right away (paid for it themselves) but never went and had the police sign off that they got it fixed. then there was a court date since it had not been signed off. now the person has to pay fine/penalties. i know person was stupid and should have followed up to get it signed off, but can you get a citation for a light out on a rental truck?

**A: why are you asking when you already know that a driver can get a citation for a light out on a rental truck.
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or does it not matter who owns the truck that you were driving it was the issue?

**A: true the rental company has a duty to maintain the vehicle but the ultimate responsibility is the driver who has care, custody and control of said vehicle.

[CdwJava]

but can you get a citation for a light out on a rental truck?

Yes, the driver of a rental truck can get an equipment citation. Does it happen very often? No. And while it IS the owner's responsibility, the person issued the citation also has his/her tail on the line so they need to go the extra mile to see that the correction is made.

I would think the court would have been understanding in this situation, but apparently they decided not to be for some reason.

- Carl