NCJ Number
141574
Journal
Trial Volume: 29 Issue: 2 Dated: (February 1993) Pages: 18-23
Date Published
1993
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The increase in the number of lawsuits brought against car manufacturers for defective design of safety restraints is probably a result of the industry's marketing techniques, in which advertisements highlight improved safety features, thereby raising consumer expectations of vehicle crashworthiness.
Abstract
Another factor has been the industry's reluctance to install additional features, namely air bags, into newer car models. The manufacturers have rejected air bags in order to reduce costs, but the resulting savings are minimal compared to the personal and economic costs of the injuries and deaths caused by inadequate restraint systems. Litigation against car manufacturers usually is based on the inadequacies of the restraint systems including three-point door-mounted automatic belts, shoulder-only belts, defective buckles, lap-only belts, and tension relieving devices. The civil litigation system provides the only assurance that the automobile industry will take the "buckle up for safety" campaign as seriously as do most consumers. 44 notes