While most motor vehicle collisions seem to be caused by some combination of factors including speeding, distracted driving and impaired driving, it is not uncommon for drivers to find themselves facing danger related to a faulty car part. Whether it is a defective safety feature of the vehicle or a failed control component, product liability can be a major factor in serious vehicle crash injuries.
While there are thousands of delicate parts on a vehicle that could fail, here are the five most common types of products that could lead to serious collisions when faulty:
- Tires: We have discussed tire blowouts in the past as they can lead to the most devastating product faults in a motor vehicle. From the loss of control caused by the rapidly deflating tire, to the shredded tire debris striking other vehicles or causing them to swerve into other traffic lanes, a tire blowout can result in numerous different types of collisions.
- Seatbelts: As the primary safety restraint in a vehicle, if the seatbelt fails, the car or truck occupants are in danger of severe injuries. Seatbelt failure can be due to fatigued metal, faulty materials or sub-standard installation.
- Airbags: Otherwise known as a supplemental restraint system, the airbags are designed to work in concert with the seatbelts to keep vehicle occupants safe in the event of a collision. The airbags might fail to deploy in a crash or deploy when they are not supposed to. These can represent different product failures and lead to numerous injuries.
- Steering components: The ability to pilot a car around danger and avoid traffic hazards is dependent on the steering system being maintained in proper working condition. The steering system contains hundreds of components that connect the steering wheel to the front tires themselves.
- Braking systems: In what might be the most common vehicle defect, faulty brakes can lead to deadly vehicle crashes. From the pedals in the driver’s cabin to the brake pads against the wheels, countless factors can fail resulting in the inability of a driver to control the speed of the car.
If you or a loved one suffered a serious injury in a motor vehicle collision caused by the failure of a crucial product, it is wise to seek the guidance of an experienced personal injury attorney. Product liability can mean the manufacturer, designer or installer of the faulty piece can be held accountable for the injuries caused by its failure.