It is always easy to blame the other driver when you are in a car accident. However, his injuries may be significantly worse because he was in a poorly designed vehicle. Although vehicle safety has become more prominent in recent years, many models and manufacturers still produce faulty products that can cause worse injuries or even death.
Consumer Reports, the go-to guide for anyone who wants an unbiased product review, has listed the safest cars. Who wins and who loses?
For large sedans and luxury cars, the Audi A4, Lexis ES300, and BMW 330i are considered some of the safest. Unfortunately for American manufacturers, the Buick LeSabre Limited and Chrysler 300M were the last. In the family car category, the V6 versions of the VW Passat and Toyota Camry XLE ranked first for safety. The VW Golf TDI and VW Jetta GLS TDI also ranked first in small cars along with the Honda Civic EX.
The Toyota Tundra SR5 4.7, Dodge Ram SLT 4.7 and Ford F150 XLT 5.4 received the highest ratings for truck safety. In the Small SUV/Minivan category, the V6 Saturn VUE, Hyundai Santa Fe GLS and Honda CR-V EX were the safest. The midsize SUVs with the best protection were the Acura MDX, Toyota Highlander and Lexis RX300. The safest minivans were the Honda Odyssey EX, Mazda MPV LX, and Toyota Sienna LE.
The worst designed vehicle was suspected to be a minivan, the Pontiac Montana, which is still for sale.
Of course, you should always try to buy the safest vehicle you can. Unfortunately, even the safest vehicles will not be able to protect you from all the injuries that can occur in an accident. Although you can’t anticipate a car accident, your car should… it should be designed to protect you if something happens. In higher rated vehicles, you will probably have less chance of being injured in the event of a seat belt failure, roof crush, or seat back failure.
Another thing to know: It can make handling an injury claim much more complicated. Faulty vehicle design can contribute to your injuries in a car accident. If it is a defective product, then the company that made your car could be partially or fully responsible for your injuries. A qualified and experienced car accident attorney will understand your complicated situation and be able to help you pay your medical bills. You probably need someone qualified and experienced after the fact to determine if the vehicle you were riding in had any major defects that contributed to your injuries.
Not sure if your situation warrants a lawyer? Do your homework and find as much free information as you can. There are plenty of resources on the internet to help you settle your injury claim, but double check the source of the information.