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A tourist in Hawaii is urging travelers to check the registration of the rental cars before they drive away. Joe Ago and his family traveled to Hawaii to celebrate Independence Day and rented a car to get around.
When he woke up and went outside, he noticed that somebody had dinged the car overnight, leaving a dent. He called the police to file a report so he could give it to the rental car company.
While the officer was writing the report, he noticed the car's registration and insurance had expired. Ago told the officer it was a rental car, but it didn't matter, and he was given a ticket.
"I called the police, their non-emergency line, they dispatched a cop. He took all my information. But that's when he saw the plate. He said,' Oh, you got expired plates.' And I was like, 'Oh.' Then he said, 'Sorry brah, I gotta write you a ticket,'" Agor told KFVE.
Ace Rent A Car admitted to KITV that the registration had lapsed and blamed it on the coronavirus pandemic, citing a backlog at the DMV. However, local officials pushed back against that claim, pointing out the DMV offices have reopened and that rental car companies can submit renewal requests in bulk.
A KFVE reporter visited several rental car companies in the area, including Ace, and found multiple vehicles with expired registration.
Ace Rent A Car told Ago that they will go to court on his behalf and dropped the insurance claim against him. While Ago is glad he isn't on the hook for the ticket, he is advising other people who rent a car to double-check to make sure everything is in order with the vehicle.
"Check the back of the car when you rent it," he said. "Or the same thing could happen to you."