Automobiles pose an inherent risk. They move down the freeway at speeds of up to 70 mph. Every year, over six million car accidents occur. In addition, every year, over forty thousand people per year die in a car accident. This is the equivalent of one person every twelve minutes. Another two million people suffer permanent injuries from car accidents every year. Auto manufacturers have developed seat belts, air bags, children’s car seats and other types of safety equipment to reduce serious injuries and fatalities. Sadly, sometimes these types of equipment fail. They also at times cause accident-related deaths and injuries. Seat belts, air bags, and children’s car seats are the most important protective features installed on most motor vehicles. When they fail due to a product defect, an injured person may have a right to pursue compensation from the automobile manufacturer.
When one thinks of car safety, seat belts are one of the first things that come to mind. Public awareness campaigns regarding the importance of buckling up are common. Ironically, seat belts have not been improved much since they were first developed. The seat belts in many models still rely on outdated technology from the 1960s. There are three common types of defects that can lead to injuries.
Airbags were designed to be a supplement to seat belts. Depending on the type of accident, an airbag can actually cause a person to suffer more severe injuries than an accident. Airbags can be very effective at reducing injuries in a high-impact collision. Yet a defective airbag can increase an accident victim’s injuries in a low-speed collision. The National Highway Safety Administration estimates that since airbags first began being installed in vehicles, 230 people have been killed by airbags.
An airbag is designed to deploy at an enormous rate of speed. It deploys with an incredible amount of force. In order for a person to safely come into contact with an airbag, the airbag must be completely deployed. Defective airbags can deploy with too much force, at the wrong time, or not at all. A defective airbag can lead to injuries that would be more severe than the person would have experienced in an accident without the airbag. Defective airbags can even lead to fatalities. Often, airbag defects are related to sensors that do not function properly or are not located in the right places in the vehicle.
Terrifyingly, defective safety equipment poses special safety risks for children. Almost half of the 230 people killed by defective air bags have been children. Children’s car seats can also be deadly. By law, small children are required to ride in car seats that protect them in case of a crash. These car seats can have a defective design, possess manufacturing defects, or fail in the way they interact with other auto safety equipment. It has been estimated that 80% of children’s car seats do not fit properly in cars. This is because the children’s car seats are based on outdated designs for cars. The children’s car seats are designed for cars that have bench seats. The children’s car seats are also made to fit behind belts that extend from the crack in the seat. Most new cars have seat belts that are on a stalk. The stalk is in a more forward position. A children’s car seat will not fit behind a newer car’s seat buckle.
Some of the design and manufacturing defects of children’s car seats include buckles that unfasten in an accident, inadequate padding that leads to head trauma during a collision, and chest clips made of cheap plastic that break or become detached during an auto accident. Automobile safety equipment is essential. When the equipment fails, it can cause can serious injuries and even death. Tragically, many people suffer injuries and fatalities from defective safety equipment when they would not have been as injured by the accidents alone.