Following two tragic New Year’s Day incidents involving vehicles rented on its platform, Turo is taking significant steps to enhance its safety protocols. The peer-to-peer car-sharing company is grappling with the aftermath of these events, which caused immense heartbreak and raised serious concerns about safety within the car rental industry. In New Orleans, a Ford F-150 Lightning rented through Turo was used to plow into a crowd on Bourbon Street, resulting in 14 fatalities and numerous injuries. Hours later, a Tesla Cybertruck rigged with explosives detonated outside President-elect Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel.
Turo CEO Andre Haddad acknowledged the tragedies, stating that the individuals involved possessed valid driver’s licenses, clean criminal records, and were decorated U.S. military service members. He emphasized that their backgrounds would not have raised red flags with traditional rental companies or other security checks. Haddad asserted that Turo’s safety record, with less than 0.10% of trips involving serious incidents, is strong, but the company is committed to further improvements.
To address these concerns, Turo is bolstering its existing safety system. This system utilizes a proprietary Risk Score based on over 50 data points and is supported by a team of former law enforcement professionals. While this system has contributed to Turo’s positive safety record, Haddad stressed the need for continuous enhancement. The company is actively consulting with national security and counterterrorism experts to identify areas for improvement, even as law enforcement continues its investigations.
Despite the heartbreak caused by these events, Turo is actively working to strengthen its safety measures. With over 27 million trips and 8.6 billion miles driven, the company is dedicated to ensuring the safety of its users and preventing future tragedies. The ongoing investigations notwithstanding, Turo’s commitment to learning from these incidents and implementing comprehensive safety improvements is clear.