10. Design Defects And Manufacturing Problems.

Manufacturers are required by law to design and engineer cars that meet a minimum safety standard. While advancements are being made every day to improve the safety and efficiency of automobiles on the road, problems with the design and functionality of the cars themselves — sometimes referred to as product liability — is one of the top causes of car accidents on the road.

Even with federal safety standards and extensive testing on every automobile manufactured, our car accident lawyers know there are a significant amount of defective cars on the road.

What Do Auto Makers Do About Design Defect?

Car manufacturers are usually faced with only two choices after discovering a poorly designed auto component:

Recall the defective part or car and fix it.
Pay off accident-related lawsuits as they arise.

Manufacturing defects can lead to very serious auto accidents. As such, you should be aware of the typical design defects, as well as how to prevent a car accident.

Brake Failures Result In Major Car Accidents

Modern dual-circuit brake systems have made total brake failure an unlikely event. If one side of the brake circuit fails, the other side can sufficiently stop the car. Disc brakes, found on the front wheels of nearly every car built today, are significantly more effective than older drum braking systems, which can fade when hot.

Anti Blockier System (ABS) or anti-lock brakes prevent the wheels from locking up during emergency braking maneuvers, allowing modern automobiles to avoid many car accidents that might have occurred in the past due to brake failure.

Defective Tires Can Cause Car Accidents

The radial tires manufactured today are significantly safer than the bias-ply tires produced 25 years ago. Problems can still occur, mainly due to air pressure or tire traction. Under-inflated tires are the top cause of tire blowouts. Uneven or worn-out tires caused by improperly balanced tires and misaligned or broken suspensions can put any car on an unintended path that may cause a car accident.

Your tires keep you connected to the roadway. If you do not know how to check your own tires then have a certified car mechanic check them every 5,000 miles.

Poor Steering & Suspension Can Lead To Car Accidents

Your suspension keeps your tires in contact with the roadway in a stable and predictable manner while the steering mechanisms enable you to go around road obstacles and avoid potential accidents. Even a safe, well-trained driver is helpless in the event of a steering or suspension system failure. To ensure your automobile is operating safely in terms of suspension and steering, have your vehicle checked out by a mechanic every 10,000 miles.

Call Our Attorneys Now If You’ve Been Injured By A Design Defect

The potential hazards you face with a design defect or improperly manufactured automobile are great in number and dangerous because you might not even realize they exist within your car. As car accident lawyers, we encourage you to fully research any vehicle you purchase, as well as have it serviced regularly so that you can know the condition of your car before it causes a problem on the road.

Your car might seem fine from where you sit, but knowing what’s going on with all of its parts will ensure that you have the greatest amount of safety possible when you are driving.

If you’ve been injured in a car accident that was caused by a design defect then call us now at 1-800-655-6585 or click here for a FREE consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer. Since 1992, our San Diego law office has been geared primarily towards auto accident claims. We know how the insurance companies work, so let our insider knowledge help you in your time of need.

Most Recent Blog Post

[caption id="attachment_21715" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Photo Credit: The San Diego Union Tribune"][/caption] Last week, we reported on a car accident in San Diego that resulted out of alleged teen street racing. In new developments, the 18-year-old driver charged with the death of the two teenagers involved in the street racing has pleaded not guilty to vehicular manslaughter among four other charges according to reports at the San Diego Union Tribune. The news follows the earlier arrest of another 16-year-old driver that was taken into custody on similar charges. Just shortly after his arraignment, Michael Johnson, the 18-year-old driver of a Volvo S40, said, according to his attorney, that he is not the responsible party in the tragic San Diego accident fatalities that occurred April 4. Accident reports indicate that Johnson was returning from a spring break beach party in La Jolla when he was allegedly involved in a street racing contest with another teen driver – the unidentified 16-year-old driver of a Volkswagen Passat whose name has not been released since he is a minor. According to Deputy District Attorney Kristen Spieler, the two vehicles were zigzagging across lanes at speeds reaching up to a staggering 100 m.p.h. The 16-year-old driver in the Passat lost control over the vehicle, causing the car to flip over several times across multiple lanes of the road. Two passengers, Anthony Foreman, 18, and Jayli Campbell, 16, were thrown from the Passat and died at the scene of the accident. Two passengers survived the crash. Charlotte McQuillen, survived the accident although she suffered serious injury as a result of the collision including reports that say the teen will have to recover from traumatic brain injury. Anthoney Taylor, 16, also survived the crash although his injuries are unclear at this time. Johnson did not flee the scene of the accident according to police reports and cooperated with authorities once officers assessed the scene of the collision. The teen has no prior criminal record, although authorities say his vehicle was found containing a small amount of marijuana. Johnson is being charged with intoxicated driving, although his lawyer says there were no field sobriety tests to confirm the teen’s alleged intoxication. Teen driving: reminders for concerned parents Last week, we blogged on actions parents can take to prevent teen car accidents. Tips include:

Sign a parent-teen contract. Download your free contract now.
Enforcing the rules. Every teen driver needs to know that rules are there for a purpose, and when they are broken, consequences will follow.
Have a DUI backup plan. As most parents can attest, there are many instances when teen drivers run into problems that supersede their know-how and maturity. Drinking is one of those problems. In cases of emergency, your teen should have an open-door policy where they feel safe to call you when they need help – such in the case of drunk driving or driving while intoxicated.

About the Law Offices of Michael Pines, APC The Law Offices of Michael Pines, APC are specialists in car accident injury. Every personal injury attorney in our San Diego office works hard to seek maximum recovery for every injured client. Your case is handled without any out-of-pocket costs, so do not hesitate to speak to a San Diego personal injury lawyer today for a free legal evaluation. Call us at 1-800-655-6585.