The “Unsafest” Cars List

Consumers, watch out! Despite the overwhelming headlines about Toyota’s dangerously defective vehicles, there are other cars out there that are just as unsafe, if not more so.

In an article from Forbes.com, a list of the worst made cars on the road was compiled and surprisingly, the beleaguered Japanese car giant did not even make it on the list. The results were gathered from the Consumer Reports studies and Vehicle Dependability Study from J.D. Power and Associates.

This is a round-up of the “unsafest” cars on the road today which shockingly, featured vehicles from General Motors. Also, the current leader in automotive sales, Ford, got really poor ratings for its Ford F-250, which was even rated among the worst in overall value and safety performance.

• Cadillac Escalade (SUV)
• Chevrolet Aveo (Compact Car)
• Chevrolet Colorado (Pick-up truck)
• Dodge Nitro (SUV)
• Ford F-250 (Pick-up truck)
• GMC Canyon (Pick-up truck)
• Jeep Wrangler (SUV)

Ironically, the most vehicles on the worst cars list are SUVs and pick-up trucks. According to analysts, while trucks and SUVs aren’t necessarily unsafe, the engineering updates and safety improvements for such vehicles lagged because car makers capitalized on making these vehicles “family-oriented”.

But for road safety, size isn’t the only thing that counts. Big and bulky SUVs and pick-up trucks are actually more prone to dangerous rollover accidents. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 58 percent of SUV occupants while 47 percent of pickup occupants were killed in rollover crashes last 2008.

It is appalling that despite the public flogging and impending $16 million fine to be on Toyota for their dangerously defective cars, federal regulators seem to have missed acting on the above-mentioned worst-made vehicles.

Stricter standards should be implemented across the board in order to make sure that all manufacturers create quality and safe products -- GM and Ford should not be an exemption to the rule just because they’re American manufacturers. A mere slap on the wrist is alarming and detrimental to all consumers who may get involved in an accident because of dangerously designed or defective cars.

In case you are involved in an accident with any of these above-mentioned vehicles or other cars you believe is defective or dangerously designed, consult with a car accident attorney or a product liability lawyer to evaluate your chances of making a successful claim for compensation and damages.

Flat Tire Causes Car to Rollover

A Pomona resident must have been very grateful to come out alive from a rollover accident on the northbound 57 freeway just north of Tonner Canyon Road.

Cuong Thach was heading home when a flat tire caused his Toyota 4Runner to rollover and landed on its roof. California Highway Officer Alvin Yamaguchi relayed that Thach got flat from a bald back tire.

No reports as to whether or not Thach sustained injury.

Rollover accidents are often due to vehicle’s stability. In most cases, rollover accidents lead to the filing of product liability claims due to car manufacturer’s negligence.

A responsible driver should ensure that the car or its parts are safe. This responsibility includes checking the car’s tires. Thach should have done the same but did not. He should have realized that driving a car with a bald tire entails danger.

Sadly, Thach would have to bear with whatever damages the accident might cause. A personal injury case may be pursued against him if someone was injured. Further, a damage suit may also be filed against him for any property damage.

Rollover Accident Injures Five including 3 Children

Families are enticed into buying bigger cars with the belief that the bigger their cars are the safer they become. However, safety has always been a major concern for big vehicles such as SUVs. SUVs are more prone to roll over accident than cars.

Rollover accidents are rare but when it happens it could lead to serious injuries such as head injuries or may result to passengers being thrown out of the vehicle.

In a recent rollover accident, five people were injured including three children when their Ford Expedition rolled over on Interstate 805. The children sustained serious injuries but were expected to live nevertheless. The two adult passengers suffered moderate injuries and were fine.

The California Highway Patrol said that the incident involved two other vehicles. The cause of the accident was still undetermined as of the moment.

Car manufacturers were introducing trends or feature to make bigger cars safer. One innovation was the electronic stability control. Some manufacturers even planned to make so-called car-based SUVs wherein SUVs would be built lower to the ground.

In the meantime, those who plan on buying large vehicles should do a little research on what vehicle is less prone to roll over. For those who already owned one, extreme caution should be observed.

In case of accidents, victims may pursue a personal injury case against the negligent parties or a product liability case in case of any defect in the vehicle.

Complications in a Car Crash

Car accidents are common occurrence in most roads and highways across the country. And as the number of accidents rise, the causes are no less varied as the countless names of victims involved in such incidents.

But even ordinary accidents may turn out to be serious and more complicated when other elements come into play. Take the case of the accident mentioned in the article “Two Killed in San Jose Car Accident”, posted on October 14, 2008.

The rollover incident, a type of accident popular among SUVs, involved a Ford Explorer. What made this incident extraordinary and newsworthy is that it involved an 18-year-old boy and five other young children between the ages of 4 and 15 years old.

Added to the complication of being the injured party in the accident, the young man’s vehicle was discovered to be ill equipped with its safety mechanisms like child seats and seat belts. For instance, the seat belts were unable to protect the passengers of the car, which cause the passengers to be ejected from their seats during collision impact, resulting in serious injuries.

The four-year old passenger, the youngest occupant of the vehicle, reportedly suffered a broken leg, while a 6-year-old suffered a broken arm, and the 10-year old suffered facial lacerations.

According to the report, the Explorer hit another car, a Nissan, as it lost control before finally crashing. But compared to the occupants of the Explorer, the driver and passenger of the Nissan car only suffered minor injuries.

Several factors may be considered in determining the causes of a rollover. Generally, car accidents are the result of recklessness or negligence of drivers. In this case, one can clearly rule out the responsibility of another party. Otherwise, factors such as vehicle manufacturing defects and external conditions may be taken into consideration.

Finding fault in a rollover incident may be as complex as the accident itself. In this case, one would definitely need the assistance of an expert, preferably a lawyer, to establish fault and liability in the accident.