A used car dealer was arrested for illegally selling flood damaged cars after last year’s hurricane. The cars, believed to have been sold to New York and New Jersey residents, were severely damaged by flood waters and were declared “totaled” by their insurance companies. However, this did not stop the owner of the used car seller from selling the hazardous vehicles as regular, safe cars. Car safety experts explain that the salt and water mixture together with the sand and debris from the flood waters can have dangerous effects on the cars, leading to a car fire and/or a car accident. Experts have expressed concern regarding the dangers created by the negligent sale of the potentially deadly vehicles that has created a hazardous condition for everyone on the road. According to officials, the damaged cars were given false identities when the seller created fake ownership titles.

The safety, legal and moral implications of creating the false paperwork apparently did not bother the owner of the car salespeople. They have been arrested and charged with various crimes that endanger public safety. In the meantime, the cars that have been identified as having potential to create an accident, fire or other hazard, have been taken off of the road. Experts say that these vehicles must not be driven and are useful only for spare parts. They warn that use of the vehicles can otherwise lead to injury or wrongful death. Industry specialists explain that electrical components can short circuit or overheat and moving parts may malfunction. Other concerns involve internal rust damage that can lead to a dangerous leak. Investigators will need to continue researching the sale of the dangerous vehicles in order to determine if there are any other cars involved. As of now, no injuries or car crash incidents have been reported involving these vehicles. A New York City accident lawyer noted that if anyone was injured by one of these cars, they have the right to speak to an attorney to decide on the best course of action. More on this investigation of dangerous car sales can be found here.

Illustrative photo by Andrea Booher (This image is from the FEMA Photo Library.) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons