Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney Blog

Anyone considering purchasing a vehicle in the next few months should probably wait to review the results of crash tests that are being conducted on 2012 models. According to Automotive Discovery, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will be putting 81 percent of the 2012 models being sold on the market through the ringer to see how they fare with crash testing and safety standards. The results will be posted online. Last October, the NHTSA started testing vehicles more stringently but the results were not positive despite manufacturers wanting to achieve a 5-star rating on each vehicle they put onto the assembly line for mass production.

Considering how much time most of us spend in our vehicle each day, purchasing a vehicle that meets federal standards and is rated with 5 stars should be a pretty high priority in reducing the risk of injury in a Coral Springs car accident.

Car accident lawyers in Coconut Creek, Vero Beach, Cooper City and Davie know that most vehicles are being built with safety features and are more structurally sound than in previous years, but too many deaths are still occurring on Florida roadways. Consumers are advised to do your research and know what you're buying to help prevent tragic accidents from taking your life or that of a loved one. However, manufacturers have a responsibility to keep consumers safe, so if you are injured in an accident caused by a defective vehicle seek the advice of a legal professional immediately.

The NHTSA has recently released the list of 2012 models to be crash-tested. The 74-item list contains two minivans, eight pickup trucks, 22 SUVs and crossovers, and 42 passenger cars. Some of the vehicles being tested include: Acura TL, BMW 328i, Cadillac CTS, Chevrolet Sonic, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Tacoma, Dodge Durango, Ford Expedition and Honda Pilot. For a full list of the 2012 models being crash-tested for safety, click here.

New for this year, the NHTSA's restored testing program will provide consumers with recommendations on which vehicles have the most effective "crash avoidance" technologies. Manufacturers are equipping newer model vehicles with lane departure warnings (LDW) and forward collision warnings (FCW) to help reduce the risk of veering off the roadway or rear-ending a vehicle or object in front of you. Last year only 45 models offered these protective devices as an option. There are 68 vehicle models for 2012 that have LDW (12), FCW (18) or both (38) features already installed in the vehicle.

In a statement, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood reiterated that by raising the bar from crash testing last year, manufacturers are being held accountable for building safer cars. Consumers purchasing a vehicle should remember the more stars found next to the name, the safer it has been found to withstand a crash.

The results of the crash testing and recommendations for the vehicles with the best crash avoidance technologies will be posted on safercar.gov.

Remember, if you are purchasing a new vehicle visit this website before you buy. You can also check back for defective vehicle recalls to make sure the car you are driving is safe.

Continue reading "Consider Vehicle Safety Ratings to Reduce Injuries in a Car Accident in Coral Springs, Coconut Creek" »

The Government Accountability Office’s auto safety report released earlier this month called for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to adjust its recall processes, noting significant "room for improvement" in how the U.S. handles auto recalls.

Our West Palm Beach personal injury attorneys know that defective vehicles can lead to car accidents in Palm Beach and elsewhere. Consumers need to know where to find recall information so they know what to do if they have a recalled vehicle.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is a non-partisan investigative division of Congress. It is often referred to as a "congressional watchdog" organization. It advises Congress and the leaders of executive agencies on ways to make government more ethical, efficient, equitable, effective and responsive.

Its work is done at the request of congressional committees/subcommittees or is ordered by public laws or committee reports. It embarks on research under the power of the Comptroller General.

The agency also supports congressional oversight by:

-Auditing agency operations to decide if federal funds are being spent effectively and efficiently.

-Investigating accusations of improper and illegal activities.

-Reporting on how effective government policies and programs are meeting their goals.

-Analyzing policy and recommending options for congressional consideration.

-Giving legal opinions and decisions, such as reports on agency rules and bid protest rulings.

Recently after the recalls of Toyota vehicles, the report asserts that Congress had unanswered questions regarding the auto safety defect recall process. The agency wondered if the NHTSA had enough oversight authorities and whether consumers were being effectively motivated to obey the recalls. Responding to Congress' concerns, the GAO reviewed documents and laws and conducted interviews with NHTSA and stakeholders about the procedures of the recall process. The report indicated that 2010 was a record-breaking year for automobile recalls. Knowing this information, the GAO is concerned about what happens after those recalls are announced, noting that many vehicles never get fixed, which creates a hazard on our roadways. The report contends that the NHTSA doesn't have the authority to inform potential used-car buyers of a defect, which poses a concern for buyers not aware of the recall.

The GAO report explained, "although recall completion rates vary considerably by certain factors, NHTSA has not consistently used the data it collects to identify which factors make some recalls more successful than others." The GAO thinks the NHTSA recall notices don't currently include sufficient information, and suggests the agency might rely too much on its website.

In conclusion, the GAO wants the NHTSA to:

-Make modifications to their requirements for notification letters.

-Make better use of its own data and automakers records.

-Ask for Congressional action to get the authority needed to notify used-car buyers of recalls.

Carfax, a provider of vehicle history reports, applauded GAO's efforts to improve the recall process. They offer vehicle owners a free recall check at recall.carfax.com, Just enter your vehicle's 17-digit VIN number to determine if there are any open recalls on your vehicle.

"Carfax is committed to ensuring consumers have all the vehicle information available to them that they need. We felt access to this open recall information was crucial, and we decided to make this information available free of charge when we started receiving it simply as a public service," noted Larry Gamache, communications director at Carfax.

Continue reading "Recalled Vehicles That Remain Unfixed Increase Dangers of Palm Beach Car Accidents" »

Vehicle defects can lead to serious West Palm Beach car accidents. Toyota consumers may be thrilled with the recent information released by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stating that conclusive testing results have indicated that no electronic flaws were found in Toyota vehicles that would explain unintended acceleration by the vehicle.

Our Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyers want drivers of Toyotas to be somewhat skeptical of the news based on the number of test models used in the investigation. The fact still remains that Toyota sells over 8 million vehicles in a calendar year. We think it more likely a defect exists than it is that hundreds of drivers inexplicably forgot which was the gas and which was the brake.

The announced results by the NHTSA comes on the heels of Toyota Motor Corporation being cited last year for over $32 million in civil penalties for two vehicle defects: accelerator pedals sticking and faulty floor mat design leading to entrapment of the accelerator pedal.

The government called on NASA engineers to conduct the 10-month study for electronic flaws leading to unintended acceleration in vehicles. The engineers were experts in software reliability, electromagnetic interference, and computer controlled electronic systems. During the study, engineers assessed the electronic circuitry and examined over 280,000 lines of software code for potential problems that could lead to inadvertent acceleration. In addition, mechanical components were tested that could result in unsolicited throttle openings.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said, "We enlisted the best and brightest engineers to study Toyota’s electronics systems, and the verdict is in. There is no electronic-based cause for unintended high-speed acceleration in Toyotas."

Even though no electrical cause was found, as a result of the findings the NHTSA will consider the following improvements:

-Initiate break override systems and event data recorders to be installed in all vehicles.

-By the end of 2011, the operation of keyless ignition systems should be standardized in all passenger vehicles.

-Initiate research on the dependability and safety of electronic control systems.

-Examine whether location and design of brake and accelerator pedals can be improved to reduce pedal malfunctions or confusion.

"While today marks the end of our study with NASA, our work to protect millions of American drivers continues,” said NHTSA Administrator David Strickland. “The record number of voluntary recalls initiated by automakers last year is also very good news, and shows that we can work cooperatively with industry to protect consumers."

Faulty accelerator pedals should be a concern that the government continues to research. Motor vehicle crashes due to an accelerator malfunction can be fatal. As a consumer, its best to check recalls for your vehicle model periodically in order to avoid risk of serious injury.

Continue reading "Defective Toyotas: Fort Lauderdale car accidents can be caused by defective vehicles" »

Since mid-October, our Margate car accident attorneys and Fort Lauderdale defective product lawyers have been monitoring the number of motor vehicle recalls issued by car makers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

As of October 21, six manufacturers have recalled more than 18 million motor vehicles to address issues ranging from faulty fuel pumps to a leak in a power-steering system that could lead to an engine fire.

Ford Motor Co. has issued the bulk of the recalls, ordering about 17. 5 million vehicles be repaired under the Mazda, Mercury, Ford and Lincoln brands. Just this week, Nissan, GM and Chrysler have recalled more than 600,000 vehicles. Neither the Nissan or the Chrysler defects appear to pose driving hazards, but the GM recall stems from a power steering issue that has caused a car fire in four vehicles.

A BMW recall involves 130,000 twin-turbo six-cylinder engine vehicles due to a faulty fuel pump that reduces power on failure. Suzuki and Mitsubishi have recalled 70,000 and 19,000 cars respectively. The Suzuki recall involves an outside rear-view mirror and the Mitsubishi recall is to address an air conditioning malfunction.

Recalls can be ordered by the NHTSA or issued independently by a manufacturer, but, regardless of how inspired, a recall requires a public report that identifies the problem, the make and model of vehicle involved, what defect caused the recall to be issued and how the company plans to correct the problem. The manufacturer is required to notify product owners and distributors when a recall is ordered, and remedies – repairs, replacements or repurchase – must be offered at no charge. Remedies must also effectively correct the safety issue.

If you receive a notification letter that your vehicle has been recalled, the NHTSA suggests you take the following steps to see that repairs are made appropriately and in a timely fashion:

~ Upon notification – generally via letter – that your vehicle is subject to recall, contact your car dealer’s service department to schedule a recall repair. Please note that the service department should NOT charge you for a recall repair.

~ If your dealer’s service department is not handling your recall repair to your satisfaction, or if they try to charge you for a recall repair, contact the service department manager and provide him or her with a copy of your recall notification letter.

~ If talking with the service department manager at your dealership is ineffective, contact the manufacturer. Provide all identifying information about your vehicle, your car dealer and your recall notification.

~ If going to the manufacturer also proves ineffective, contact the NHTSA.

Continue reading "Massive multi-manufacturer vehicle recall spotlights potential safety hazards for South Florida drivers" »