Injured Tourists in Australia Allege Faulty Steering Wheel in Rented Vehicle
The three passengers were seriously injured when the four-wheel-drive vehicle rolled over.
Three tourists in Australia are suing a tour operator after their rented Toyota Landcruiser Troop Carrier rolled over last September, according to the Courier Mail.
The tourists—two men and a woman—were seriously injured when the four-wheel-drive vehicle rolled on Fraser Island in Australia.
The passengers allege the tour operator told them that a faulty steering wheel in the vehicle was only a minor problem. But Michael Dwyer of the touring company Aussie Trax said the driver had been convicted of dangerous driving over the incident, which voided any insurance claim.
Dwyer said contract restrictions on who could drive could not be enforced and Aussie Trax could not refuse to rent a vehicle if the applicant was 21 and held a valid driver’s license.
The three tourists also allege the tour operator company intimidated them into paying substantially more excess for the damaged vehicle.
The two injured men were flown to the hospital by helicopter after the accident, while the woman received a soft-tissue injury, cuts and abrasions.
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