Illinois car accident lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm are warning drivers of the latest Ford Motor Company recall. Ford and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration just announced the recall of nearly 5,500 2012 Edge Crossover vehicles. The auto company says that a defective fuel line in the engine may lead to dangerous fuel leaks.
This serious fire hazard is not the only manufacturing defect safety issue impacting the safety of Ford drivers. On September 4, 2012, Ford recalled more than 8,200 Escapes due to a carpeting problem that could lead to a potential interference with the brake and gas pedal. And in July 2012, more than 9,300 2013 Escape models were recalled for fuel line defects.
When a safety defect causes serious injuries, financial compensation may be available through a product defect lawsuit. Car manufacturers have a legal duty to design their products in a way that is safe and suitable for the car’s intended use. When they fail conform to this standard, car manufacturers may be liable for damages.
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Faulty engineering may lead to serious and potentially fatal accidents, but defective product manufacturers are not always to blame for a car accident. Even when cars are designed in conformity with applicable safety standards, accidents can happen due to other factors such as careless driving. Sadly, some drivers attempt to flee the scene in order to avoid facing responsibility for the accident. According to California Highway Patrol’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 147 fatalities and 19,009 injuries caused by hit and run car accidents were reported in California in 2010. Among these, eighty three fatalities and 2,104 injuries involved pedestrians.
Daily News – Los Angeles reports a recent hit-and-run case in which a driver jumped a red light and hit two teenagers walking on the crosswalk on their way to school. Fortunately, the pair sustained only some minor injuries and is expected to survive. Police are on the lookout for the driver of a small, older-model pickup truck who fled after the incident.
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Drunk driving is another major cause of death from car accidents, which is why DUI rules have been formulated. Any individual driving under the influence of alcohol puts his life and that of others on the line. One of the most disturbing examples is a recent car wreck reported in the Chicago Sun-Times, in which a vehicle carrying four occupants including two kids and a pregnant woman was involved in a collision with a train in Chicago in 2012.
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The 20-year old driver put the lives of his 19-year old pregnant wife, 14-month old daughter and 5-year old son in jeopardy by driving drunk, having no valid driver’s license, speeding and driving a vehicle which wasn’t insured. Illinois car accident attorneys can help to secure justice for victims of such accidents.
Traffic related deaths are also caused by speeding. Unlike the German autobahns, highways in the US cannot accommodate insanely high speeds. Distracted drivers are also a major cause of serious road accidents. Mobile phones are another source of distraction that put the driver of the vehicle and others at risk.
There are natural causes of car accidents too. These include rain, snow, ice, wind and fog. Governmental agencies need to ensure that the public has adequate awareness about the dangers and is trained to modify the driving according to the weather conditions, or avoid driving altogether when conditions are extremely adverse.
Chicago car accident attorneys at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can not only help victims of such incidents get justice, they also play a part in preventing such incidents from happening again. A car wreck lawsuit can help prevent other drivers from being reckless, and ensure that manufacturers produce cars with enhanced safety features.
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