Crashworthiness
Crashworthiness refers to the ability of a vehicle to protect its occupants in the event of a collision. In crashworthiness cases the cause of the accident is not considered as important as the ‘second collision’ - the one in which the passengers collide with the interior of the vehicle.
To avoid second collisions, car manufacturers have designed a number of safety features. Crashworthiness features such as airbags, seatbelts, rollbars, and headrests are designed to minimize injury and the risk of fire, as well as prevent ejection from the vehicle. However, when these features fail, serious injury can occur, leading to questions of crashworthiness. There are two types of defects that typically lead to serious injury: manufacturing defects and design defects. In addition, failure on the part of the manufacturer or retailer to warn about a dangerous aspect of a vehicle can also lead to injury.
It is important to note that crashworthiness is different than vehicle safety. Crashworthiness is the ability of the vehicle to protect its occupants, while the term vehicle safety encompasses both crashworthiness and accident-avoidance features such as wider tires and anti-lock brakes.
When assessing the validity of a crashworthiness case, attorneys attempt to determine if the passengers would have fared better if the car had included crashworthiness features designed to reduced injuries.
SUV Rollover
Crashworthiness features are especially important in accidents that involve vehicle rollover. Since SUVs are more top heavy than passenger cars, they are more likely to roll over in the event of an accident. In addition, very few SUVs are equipped with a roll bar - a crashworthiness feature that reduces the degree to which the roof of the vehicle caves in. As a result, SUV rollover is more likely to result in serious and/or fatal injury.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury due to an auto accident or SUV rollover, you may want to contact a crashworthiness attorney for more information.
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