What Does Crashworthiness Mean?
Crashworthiness is something we look at with every single auto accident case. Why? Simply, if the vehicle or vehicles involved were not designed to absorb the impact and protect the passengers from injuries then the manufacturer of such vehicles could be held liable
“A motor vehicle may qualify as defective if it is designed or manufactured so that the injuries the occupant sustains in a collision are greater than those normally to be expected for the circumstances of the collision. Crashworthiness can be accomplished when safe designs are implemented to distribute the collision forces away from the more vulnerable parts of the body. Automakers can easily build crashworthiness into their design. But frequently they do not do so because of a desire to control costs at the expense of safety. Imagine what vehicles would be like without passenger restraint systems, or if the manufacturer took no care to maintain fuel system integrity in lower to moderate speed crashes. Imagine what vehicles injuries would be like if the inside of a car had sharp edged dashboards or no padding on any armrest. These are the engineer features that we often take for granted, but many of these features exist because accident victims fought back after suffering an injury and sued.” ~ David Holub
That’s right I did say that, in fact, I said that on a video I shared on YouTube on June 12, 2019 here’s the link… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTNlVGbJans
Manufacturers are required to adhere to certain protocols enacted by the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration (NHTSA). These protocols cover child safety, rollovers, restraint systems, crumple zones and frontal crash protection. Most manufacturers not only test the crashworthiness of their own vehicles but also submit their cars, trucks, SUVs and vans for testing at independent centers.
But what happens when a vehicle manufacturer is new to the market or has unproven safety systems that have yet to accumulate years of proven data? Well, let’s take for example the new electric cars (and trucks) by a company named after a brilliant long deceased scientist. These cars although designed around the concept of energy efficiency without the need of a gas engine have produced mixed results in consumer confidence. The company says about its produced vehicles that they have the lowest “probability of injury” of any vehicle. And that they have a 5 star rating with the NHTSA.
However the NHTSA in a statement said, “The NHTSA does not distinguish safety performance beyond that rating, thus there is no ‘safest’ vehicle among those vehicles achieving five-star ratings”.
Recently one of these electric vehicles was involved in a nasty crash that ended up splitting the car in half. Google “Hallandale Beach Car Torn Apart”. Did you see the videos? Not very pleasant to look at. As an attorney who strives to protect my clients; those images, videos, testimonies and yes, even news reports go a long way in creating a case against any negligent driver and or manufacturer.
If you have experienced an unusual or excessive injury in an automobile accident, and you want to fight back; seek legal help to obtain full and fair compensation for your losses. Please contact The Law Offices of David Holub for a free and confidential case evaluation. Call our number (219)736-9700 for assistance today.
The Law Offices of David W. Holub is a personal injury law firm located in Merrillville, Indiana, focused on providing efficient and effective client-centered representation. Our mission is to provide top quality legal representation, which includes an uncompromising pursuit of our client’s legal interests, while being accessible and attentive to our clients during times of personal challenge.
The firm concentrates in personal injury cases of all types, medical malpractice, and wrongful death litigation. We work tirelessly to serve each client aggressively and with empathy, to communicate regularly and clearly, and to obtain prompt and favorable results, while adhering to the highest standards of excellence and integrity. Our team considers it a high honor to be called upon to serve our clients whom we often come to regard as our friends.
*If you would like to learn more about personal injury law, we encourage you to listen to our Personal Injury Primer Podcast where we break down the law into simple terms, provide legal tips, and discuss topics related to personal injury law. And read “Fighting For Truth: A Trial Lawyer’s Insight Into What It Takes To Win” an entertaining and enlightening book pulling readers into the courtroom giving them a glimpse of the legal process and what it takes to win at trial.