The Need for Car Recalls

Car Recalls

The necessity to get rid of dangerous motor vehicles due to car defects is very important, as it is one of the factors of traffic accidents. Without a doubt, there is a need for remarkable development in vehicle safety, and a crucial way to improve safety is by recalling faulty vehicles and equipment.

The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards establish requirements for minimum performance for vehicle parts that most affect its operation, such as lighting, tires, and brakes, or parts of a vehicle that provides protection to occupants from serious injuries or death in the event of an accident, such as motorcycle helmets, energy absorbing steering columns, child restraints, seat belts, and air bags. These requirements are applicable to all motor vehicles and equipment that are imported for sale or manufactured in the U.S. (including the territories), which are certified for use on highways and public roads.

A recall is necessary when:

• A vehicle or part/s of a vehicle does not act in accordance with a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard; or
• There is a defect in the motor vehicle or equipment that is related to safety.

Car Defects

The National traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act provides the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the Department of Transportation the right to release vehicle safety standards and to compel manufacturers to recall motor vehicles that has safety-related defects or those that do not meet the standards.

In general, safety-related car defects are problems that exist in a vehicle or equipment that pose a risk to vehicle safety and may possibly exist in a group of motor vehicles or equipments of the same manufacture or design.

Examples of Safety-Related Car Defects

Some examples of safety-related car defects include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Child safety seats with defective buckles, safety belts, or parts that create a risk of injuries, not only in a traffic accident but in non-operational safety of a vehicle as well.
• Air bags that deploy in circumstances wherein they are not intended to deploy.
• Car jacks or ramps that collapse, causing injuries to an individual working on a motor vehicle.
• Problems in the wiring system that result in the loss of lighting or a fire.
• Parts of a motor vehicle that fall apart, break, or separate from the car, causing injuries to individuals inside or outside the motor vehicle.
• Seats or seat backs that unexpectedly fail during normal use.
• Windshield wipers that fail to operate.
• Engine cooling fan blades that unexpectedly break, resulting to injuries
• Wheels that break or crack causing loss of control.
• Accelerator controls that stick or break.
• Problems in the fuel system parts, particularly in its vulnerability to crash damage, resulting in fuel leakage that may cause fires.
• Steering components that unexpectedly break, resulting in partial or total loss of vehicle control.

Getting Help

If you have been involved in a crash due to car defects, it is important to get help from competent car accident lawyers to get the necessary legal assistance.