MIRAMAR, FLA. (WSVN) - Miramar Police have released a new public service announcement to warn people on what to look for when they are buying a used car so they can avoid a possible tragedy.
Police said it is crucial for people to know the car’s history if they have bought a used car or are planning to buy one. If they do not, police warn the consequences can be deadly.
The new public service announcement focuses on the story of Jenny Harris, a 20-year-old who lost her life in a 2017 crash — one she should have survived, police said.
“Wherever she went, she lit up a room,” Regla Harris, her mother, said. “She had a beautiful smile.”
“They told us she was wearing her seat belt,” Vince Harris said. “Unfortunately, the airbag didn’t go off, and the seat belt didn’t work properly.”
Vehicular Homicide Officer Seth Schaller worked on the investigation.
“She died instantly,” Schaller said. “She had a seat belt on, but it had no locking mechanism on it.”
Schaller added that he is seeing more and more crashes with airbags not deploying because body shops can refurbish wrecked cars with bad seat belts and damaged airbags, which police found for sale online.
“The prices are dirt cheap,” he said. “You can find a driver’s side airbag for $100.”
Schaller advises buyers to check the vehicle’s title for its crash history, and if it was involved in crash, he urges buyers to take it to a dealer or reputable mechanic to have the safety system checked. It’s more crucial if the car is labeled as rebuilt since it’s a near given it was nearly totaled in a crash.
“If you get into an accident, you need those airbags,” Schaller said. “The time to find out they are not working is not when you get into an accident.”
Schaller added that buyers should check their used car’s body and make sure the paint colors and textures match perfectly, and it is also crucial to look at the fit between parts.
“You’ll notice how the gap starts off really wide and it’s actually touching. This isn’t normal,” Schaller said while showing 7News cameras.
Even if a vehicle is bought with a clean title from a reputable used car dealer, titles can be wrong, so it is not a bad idea to have its seat belts and airbags checked.
“Driving a car that is used, not checking it is crazy,” Schaller said. “It doesn’t take a whole lot of time, and it wouldn’t even be that expensive going to a dealership.”
Miramar Police have more tips to make sure your car’s safety systems are working. Click here to learn more.
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