Crash Worthiness

Frequently Asked Questions About Crashworthiness

What does crashworthiness mean?
Crashworthiness refers to the ability of a vehicle to protect its occupants in a collision, rollover, or other impact.

What features contribute to a car’s crashworthiness?
The design of the car’s frame, its suspension, seats, the materials used, especially in the passenger compartment, passenger restraints such as seat belts and air bags, locks, tires, and many other structural elements are involved in the design of a crashworthy vehicle.

Are car manufacturers required to assure that the vehicles they sell are crashworthy?
Vehicles are covered by products liability law, which holds that if the product has a defect that causes harm, the defendant can be held liable for the harm caused. Products liability laws hold all members of a distribution chain responsible for a dangerous or defective product–––the designer, the manufacturer, suppliers of component parts, the wholesaler, and the dealer who sold the product.

If safety equipment on a vehicle does not function, and I am injured as a result, is that a crashworthiness issue?
It may be. If you have been injured as a result of safety equipment malfunction or failure to function, you should consult a crashworthiness attorney,

If I believe I have a crashworthiness case, what should I do?
Time is critical in crashworthiness cases. The vehicle involved in the crash is the most important piece of evidence. The vehicle should be stored in a secure location so that it cannot be altered or tampered with. As soon as possible you should consult a crashworthiness attorney to see whether you have a case.