Auto Accident Lawyer

Orlando, Florida

Car Accidents Due to Defective Vehicles

While many deaths and serious injuries from car collisions are due to impact, automotive defects can be extremely dangerous and may be the cause of the accident. An experienced attorney can help determine whether or not a defective part caused the accident and pursue a claim on behalf of the victim. If youre in Orlando, Florida and have been seriously injured in a car accident from a defective automobile part, please contact the personal injury specialists at Colling, Gilbert, Wright and Carter for an evaluation and find out what your rights are.

Auto manufacturers are required to meet federal safety standards and provide a safe product. The companies that design the automobiles and automobile parts test vehicles in real world scenarios and accidents to determine the cars crashworthiness.

Crashworthiness
A crashworthy design minimizes the damaging effects suffered by occupants who are subject to impact. An effective design minimizes the danger by distributing the impact over a greater period of time and distance throughout various parts of the vehicle. The following safety features promote the crashworthiness of the vehicle:

• Intrusion is minimized within the passenger compartment. In a rear collision the rear axle should take most of the impact minimizing contact with the occupant. In a frontal impact, the steering column should collapse avoiding impact with the occupant. A roof and roll bar should prevent the occupant from being crushed in a rollover.
• An effective restraint system such as seatbelts should keep the occupant inside the vehicle preventing serious contact inside and outside the vehicle. Doors should stay shut and seatbelts should remain latched upon impact.
• Interiors should absorb destructive accident forces through the use of smooth surfaces, padding and collapsible steering columns.
• The fuel system should remain secure and intact to minimize the risk of fire.
• Despite advances in auto safety, automobile defects continue to be widespread. Millions of defective vehicles remain on Americas roads, capable of causing death and severe injuries in otherwise what should be survivable accidents. 
  

SUV Rollovers
One of the most prominent vehicle defects making the headlines these days have been SUV rollovers. SUVs top heavy body and high center of gravity leads to a greater risk of rollovers especially when the driver makes a defensive move to avoid a dangerous situation.

• 62 percent of all SUV deaths occurring in rollovers - nearly three times the 22 percent rate for cars.
• Over 10,000 people are killed in SUV rollover accidents every year.
• SUV rollover rates were responsible for 82% of the increase in traffic fatalities in 2002, the highest level in 12 years.

Vehicle Defects
The most common design and manufacturing auto defects include the following:

• Defective tires
• Defective seatbelts
• Defective airbags
• Poor structural integrity
• Faulty fuel tanks
• Defective brakes

A car accident claim involving an auto defect is complex. In Orlando, Florida, youll need the help of an experienced defective product attorney. Please contact the auto accident lawyers today at Colling, Gilbert, Wright and Carter for you case evaluation.