New Brunswick Car Accident Lawyers Discuss Dangerous Car Seats
Every parent’s worst nightmare is a car accident involving their child, and parents rely on safety equipment and car manufacturing to keep their family and loved ones safe in the event of a crash. When the trusted safety equipment fails, or is not designed correctly in the first place, oftentimes a preventable tragedy occurs. There is no reason that parents should have to second guess the car seats they rely on to protect their families, but unfortunately, car seats fail and collapse and poor design is a constant battle between industry regulators and manufacturers. Recently, Congress stepped in to fight against dangerous car seats.
A recent CBS News investigation revealed that since 1989, over 100 people have lost their lives due to car seat failures, with most of the victims being children sitting in the back seat of their family car. Now that this investigation’s results have been shared with the public, senators are demanding action. If a car’s seat fails, it can launch a passenger forward, causing injury or fatality. Congress recently sent a letter to 18 manufacturers demanding answers as to how these parts can fail, and what is being done to ensure vehicle standards do not allow this type of equipment failure in the event of an accident.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) is under fire, too, for not investigating the failures prior to the CBS investigation. The standards for car seat strength are so low that manufacturers are not breaking the rules, but investigators found the metrics so low that even a standard banquet chair can be deemed strong enough for use in a vehicle.
Producing Better Car Seats is Simple and Inexpensive
The NHTSA has been criticized by Congress for holding car manufacturers to lax standards that put drivers and their passengers at risk, with everything from faulty airbags to car seat failures receiving no attention until it is too late. Perhaps what has frustrated Congress so much about these car seat issues is that the fix is simple – to strengthen the seats so they pass rear-end accident safety tests would be inexpensive and easy to implement.
New Brunswick Car Accident Lawyers at the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr Advocate for Injured Parties
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident involving an equipment failure or auto defect, contact the New Brunswick car accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr. We offer free consultations and have the experience to determine if your case against a car manufacturer can bring you compensation or justice that you deserve. Call our offices at 732-537-8570, or contact us online to speak with a qualified attorney.
