Crashworthiness
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Crashworthiness: Overview

Crashworthiness is the ability of a vehicle to prevent injuries to the occupants in the event of a collision. Crashworthiness deals primarily with the 'second collision' in which the driver and passengers collide against the interior of the vehicle. The cause of the accident is usually considered irrelevant in crashworthiness cases.

There are two important questions to consider when determining crashworthiness:

  • Could the vehicle occupants have fared better?
  • Could some feature that was lacking in the vehicle have reduced the occupants' injuries?

It is also important to remember that crashworthiness is not the same as vehicle safety. Vehicle safety is determined by both crashworthiness and accident avoidance features such as anti-lock brakes and wider tires. Crashworthiness features include roll bars, airbags, seat belts, headrests, side impact protection, and crumple zones. Crashworthiness features are designed to minimize occupant injuries, prevent ejection from the vehicle, and reduce the risk of fire.

Vehicle Defects

Crashworthiness cases typically involve injuries that are sustained as a result of a defect in a vehicle. There are three types of product defects that can lead to injury:

  • Manufacturing defects - injury occurs when there is a flaw in the manufacturing process. For example, failure to include an airbag when the design calls for it is a manufacturing defect.
  • Design defects - injury occurs when a vehicle is unsafe because of the manufacturer's design. For example, a fuel tank placed in a location that makes it likely to explode upon impact is a design defect.
  • Failure to warn - injury occurs when the manufacturer is aware of a dangerous aspect of a vehicle but fails to warn or provide adequate warning to consumers.

This information is intended to provide a brief overview of crashworthiness. Contact an attorney for more information specific to your case.

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