In 2001 alone, almost two million Americans suffered an injury related to a vehicle crash, as there is a car accident on the roads of America roughly every ten seconds. Poor driving by a negligent driver can be the cause of an accident, however crashes bay also be the result of a design, manufacturing or installation flaw. Defective seatbelts, tires, brakes, roof structure and many other parts of a vehicle can be the cause, or can contribute to an auto accident. "Automobile crashworthiness" then refers to a vehicle's effectiveness in prevent injury during an accident, or its lack thereof in some cases.



National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) research shows that the major causes of injury inside a vehicle during a collision are, in descending order: steering wheel, instrument panel, doors, windshield, front roof pillar, glove box area, roof edges, and the roof itself. It is not surprising, then, that front-seat passengers are more likely to be injured in an auto accident than rear-seat passengers who are protected by the padding of the front seat backs.

NHTSA data also shows that 51 percent of motor vehicle deaths occur in head-on impacts, 27 percent in side impacts, and only 4 percent in rear impacts. Rollovers, however, are particularly lethal because they are more likely to eject unrestrained passengers from the vehicle than other types of collisions. Fatality rates are 25 times higher for ejected passengers than for those who remain in the vehicle.

When an auto accident injury occurs, it is important to take certain precautions and steps immediately following the accident. The first step is to evaluate the health and safety of the individuals involved in the accident, especially those who might have suffered an auto accident injury. It is important to call the police in order to have an auto accident injury report completed. This provides an official account of the auto accident and all pertinent details.

Following any auto accident injury, it is vital to collect as much information from the involved parties as possible, as well as to get statements from any individuals that may have witnessed the accident. If one party was responsible for the accident that caused an auto accident injury, it is vital to collect information regarding that party's vehicle, license plate and vehicle identification number (VIN), insurance information, and any other important details. Taking pictures at the scene of an auto accident can also help determine the cause of an auto accident injury.

The exact cause of an auto accident injury may not always be apparent immediately following an accident. Therefore, it is imperative to collect as many details and as much information as possible about the automobile accident, as well as the conditions surrounding the incident. It is a good idea to contact your insurance company as soon as you can in order to inform them of your auto accident injury. Following an auto accident injury, receiving rightful compensation for your injuries can be a complicated and long process. Securing the help of a qualified and experienced personal injury attorney who specializes in auto accident injury can greatly strengthen your case. An experienced lawyer knows how to investigate your auto accident injury in order to build a strong case that will enable you to receive compensation for your injuries.

In order to prove that a defectively designed automobile caused an injury, lawyers must consult with top engineering experts to show how the injuries could have been prevented by proper design. To prove these cases, testing and reconstruction of accident situations can include state-of-the-art computer modeling and animation techniques, as well as real-life experiments. Automobile manufacturers defend crashworthiness claims vigorously, sparing no expense to attack the plaintiffs' evidence and trying to blame drivers, weather, road conditions or any factor other than the car's design problems for auto accident injuries.

If you believe you have an automobile crashworthiness law suit, contact an experienced unsafe products attorney today. Your crashworthiness lawyer will help you evaluate your claim and get the compensation you deserve.