Buying a car is a huge investment so before you pay a single dollar, it is important that you check it for auto defects and its crashworthiness.
Both are very important considerations to road safety because even if you’re a competent and careful driver, a motor vehicle accident would be unavoidable if your car is ridden with auto defects. Worse, if your car isn’t crashworthy, you may end up getting badly hurt.
A car’s crashworthiness is tested through its ability to protect its occupants from impact in a crash. Auto defects on the other hand, can also affect a car’s crashworthiness as defects can occur during the manufacturing stage, the installation of safety features or even through various car parts. Here are some examples of auto defects that can adversely affect a car’s crashworthiness:
• Weak vehicle roofs
• Air bag malfunction
• Seat belt failure
• Defective seat/head restraints for protection against neck injuries
The following auto defects can cause accidents which, if coupled with poor crashworthiness ratings, can lead to serious injuries to the driver and the occupants of the vehicle:
• Brake failure
• Steering problems
• Vehicles prone to rollover accidents
• Tire tread separation
• Acceleration problems
• Faulty electrical wiring
Under the law, auto makers have the duty to produce safe and quality vehicles that are free from defects and crashworthy. To help enforce this law, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sets minimum crashworthiness standards and also forces car manufacturers to test vehicles. Car companies are further mandated to report whether they comply with the requirements or issue and conduct recalls when there are known defects.
To ensure that the vehicle you buy is free from defects and is crashworthy, car buyers should check for vehicle safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), read auto reviews from expert sources such as Consumer Reports and even check the website of the NHTSA for announcements on any recalls or defects.
In the end, if even after you exercised caution in the selection of your vehicle and believed in good faith the reviews, ratings, and results but still were injured in an accident because of auto defects, you have every right to file a lawsuit against the car manufacturer.
Seek the services of a product liability attorney or a car accident attorney who is well-versed in auto defects and crashworthiness to handle your case.
