Month: February 2015

Empowering Consumers to Protect Themselves From Crash Deaths and Serious Injuries


Empowering Consumers to Protect Themselves From Crash Deaths and Serious Injuries

February, 2015

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

Attached is the January 2015 Monthly Report.  

Automotive News reports chances for Auto Safety legislation are fading.  See http://www.autonews.com/article/20150216/OEM11/302169998/safety-crisis-fades-off-congress-radar

And sadly President Obama failed again in the State of the Union to issue a Vision Zero Goal for the nation to achieve zero deaths and serious injuries in, or by, a new vehicle in a decade.  Seehttps://www.careforcrashvictims.com/blog-state15goal.php

Thankfully, the Car Book 2015 has now been published that empowers consumers to better protect themselves – physically and financially.

We need to, and can, do better protecting ourselves.

Lou

 

Close the NHTSA Revolving Door In and Out of NHTSA


Close the NHTSA Revolving Door In and Out of NHTSA

February, 2015

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

USA Today has an excellent Op-Ed on NHTSA’s Revolving Door.

It calls for closing the NHTSA Revolving Door.

See http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/02/25/nhtsa-revolving-door-cronyism-highway-column/23966219/

Corporate cronies have come in and out of NHTSA for way too long.  And corporate policies have come out of NHTSA for way too long. Because nearly 100 American lives and 400 serious injuries each day depend on it, let’s hope and help this happen.

Lou

 


Safety of Consumers Under Attack

February, 2015

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

Respected Safety Advocate Rosemary Shahan has asked us to help get the word out warning us all of this NJ anti-safety legislative initiative.   Warning: it may spread to other States too.

“Attached is a letter from CARS and the National Association of Consumer Advocates, opposing legislation now pending in New Jersey — backed by car dealers — that would for the first time allow dealers to sell unsafe, recalled used cars to consumers, without ensuring that the cars are safe prior to delivery, if they merely provide “disclosure” — shifting liability onto their victims. The Assembly bill passed 68-0 before members of the legislature realized the implications. The Senate companion bill has not yet been heard.  Now there is growing awareness about how harmful they would be. But it remains to be seen if they can be stopped, before they go to Gov. Christie’s desk. If they pass out of the legislature, he would likely sign them into law.”

Please help get the word out because it may spread to other States too.
Lou

 

Airbag Defects Recalled Again — Why?


Airbag Defects Recalled Again — Why?

February, 2015

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:
More recalls announced by NHTSA.  NHTSA identified the following vehicle models:

“What vehicles are being recalled?

  • 2002-2003 Jeep Liberty and 2002-2004 Grand Cherokees (about 750,000 vehicles);
  • 2003-2004 Honda Odysseys and 2003 Acura MDXs (about 370,000 vehicles);
  • 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibes, Dodge Vipers, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Matrixes and  Toyota     Avalons (about 1 million vehicles, not all of which were sold in the United States)”

See  http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+Releases/2015/safety-advisory-01-31-2015

NY Times reports:

Toyota, Chrysler and Honda are recalling about 2.1 million vehicles with airbags that might suddenly deploy even when the vehicle is not in a crash after earlier recalls did not sufficiently address the problem. Federal regulators said replacement parts might not be fully available until the end of the year.”  Seehttp://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/01/business/vehicles-with-faulty-airbags-are-recalled-for-second-time.html?mabReward=CTM&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&region=CColumn&module=Recommendation&src=rechp&WT.nav=RecEngine&_r=0
The Why Questions
*  Millions of Americans in danger of airbags that deploy when they shouldn’t and by airbags that don’t deploy when they should.  Why?
*  The GM ignition switch victim compensation plan is now closed to any future victim or family who suffers a fatality or serious injury with airbags that did not deploy.  Why?   See https://www.careforcrashvictims.com/blog-deleteignition.php  and http://www.gmignitioncompensation.com/index  and currently only 50 deaths deemed eligible out of 338 fatality death claims made.  See http://www.gmignitioncompensation.com/docs/program_Statistics.pdf
*  Recalled vehicles may not be fixed for a year — or ever.  Why?
*  Recalled defective vehicles involve models on the roads for more than a decade.  Why?
*  Perhaps the biggest “Why?” question is: Why did NHTSA became more of a captive agency during the decade since the early 2000s?  Seehttps://www.careforcrashvictims.com/assets/CFCV-MonthlyReport-March2014.pdf
And how many more lives will continue to be lost needlessly until NHTSA is fixed?   Why won’t NHTSA be fixed anytime soon?  See Takata’s responses to airbag crisis at http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/2015/01/20/takata-review-panel-includes-former-nhtsa-chiefs/22043355/  and at http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/18/us-autos-takata-lawyer-exclusive-idUSKCN0J22PP20141118
Bottom line: It’s political.
Lou