{"id":353219,"date":"2016-04-04T10:46:40","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:46:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/injury\/product-liability\/car-defects-the-concept-of-crashworthiness.html"},"modified":"2023-11-08T15:59:50","modified_gmt":"2023-11-08T20:59:50","slug":"car-defects-the-concept-of-crashworthiness","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/product-liability\/car-defects-the-concept-of-crashworthiness.html","title":{"rendered":"Car Defects: The Concept of Crashworthiness"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Car Defects: The Concept of Crashworthiness<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Christie Nicholson, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Oni Harton, J.D.<\/a>\n | Last reviewed\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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If crashworthiness features are missing or defective, the manufacturer may be liable for injuries that could have been prevented. Legal claims based on crashworthiness focus on whether the vehicle\u2019s design failed to provide reasonable protection in a foreseeable crash.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

When you buy a car, you shouldn’t have to worry about whether it’s safe or not. Most consumers do their homework regarding vehicle safety<\/a> before they even test drive a vehicle. They check the safety ratings and read reviews from other drivers. This is why it’s frustrating to learn that your new or certified pre-owned vehicle isn’t crashworthy.<\/p>\n

Crashworthiness<\/a>\u00a0is a vehicle’s ability to protect vehicle occupants from severe injuries should a crash occur. The impact from a car crash can\u00a0toss\u00a0occupants around inside the car or SUV. The severity of your injuries often depends on things like rapid deceleration and rapid acceleration. It also depends on where the other vehicle hits your car.<\/p>\n

This section explains how you can measure a vehicle’s crashworthiness. It also discusses what to do if you learn that your car isn’t crashworthy. Finally, it describes what to do if a vehicle defect increases the severity of your injuries during a crash.<\/p>\n

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If you believe your vehicle isn\u2019t crashworthy or that a defect worsened your injuries, you may have a legal claim. Contact a product liability lawyer<\/a> near you for targeted legal advice. An attorney can explain your legal options and recommend next steps to pursue compensation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Crashworthiness and Vehicle Design<\/h2>\n

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),\u00a0crashworthiness<\/a>\u00a0focuses on occupant protection to reduce the number of fatal and serious injuries that occur in the United States each year. It deals primarily with “second collision,” which is the collision between passengers and the vehicle’s interior.<\/p>\n

An effective crash-worthy vehicle design will distribute damaging forces over the time and distance of the crash. It should also redirect them to parts of your body that are more capable of withstanding the crash’s impact. Crashworthiness does the following:<\/p>\n