Seat belts are a paramount piece of equipment designed to keep passengers and drivers from ejecting from a vehicle during sudden stops or crashes. When seat belts fail, the results are sometimes deadly. A seat belt that functions properly will keep drivers and their passengers restrained.
Although there are a variety of malfunctions that occur when seat belts fail, some sources fo failure include:
Seat belts can become unlatched due to flying objects or poor design and manufacturing, that prevent the belt from operating in the way intended. In addition, safety belts can also become detached from the mount holding the belt into place. Seat belts can also tear as a result of defective materials comprising the equipment. The harness portion of a seat belt can also be a source of failure if it does not fit properly, causing harm or not restraining passengers a intended.
While both passengers and drivers are using their safety belts more than ever, fatalities make it difficult to understand whether injuries or death are directly correlated to seat belt failure. Though some statistic may not coincide with their findings, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) notes that as many as one in every two vehicle deaths are related to seat belt failure.
More than 8 million vehicles were involved in a Takata seat belt recall, taking place as a result of improperly locking mechanisms that failed to restrain passengers or jammed when passengers tried to free themselves. Vehicles involved in the recall included:
In addition to the fore mentioned vehicles included in seat belt recalls, Volvo also issued a seat belt recall for 10,000 of its Volvo XC60 model because of a defective driver’s seatbelt that detaches from its anchor during crash testing. Similarly, Gen3 seat belt buckles on some Chrysler cars experienced unlatching during rollover crashes, sparking recalls.
If you or a loved one has experienced pain or death as a result of seat belt failure, call our experienced product liability attorneys in Waco, San Antonio, Temple, Killeen and throughout Texas for the quality representation you deserve.