Car Accidents in the United States

There is a fatal car accident every 14 minutes here in the US, or about 40,000 per year. That means that by the time you drive 10 blocks, or 2 miles there is another wreck. So if you went to the grocery store to do a bit of shopping, there was probably at least one accident by the time you got to the store. Automobile manufacturers are required to put certain safety systems into every vehicle.

These safety systems are designed from the frame up, even into the shape a car, its metal-safety webbing and airbags. Plus you have the added child restraint seat belts in newer models, and more accurately-locking seatbelts to keep your torso, neck and head stationary as possible during an accident. But these safety systems fail at times, leaving you or a loved one injured. Of course there are other manufacturer failures that can injure you in an accident as well.

Tires fail, transmissions lock-up, causing sudden, un-expected stops, resulting in rear-end collisions. Engines overheat and catch on fire. And more.

Within every designed product, whether a radio, a car, a house, or a blender, there are specifications set up by those whose job it is to protect American safety. The engineers and inspectors of the relevant branches of the US government. But sometimes these specification are over-looked.

Specifications about the strength of steel components in transmissions. Faulty parts missing inspection, and working their way into products in all their imperfections. And then they fail, and when they fail people can often get hurt, and grinding accidents can occur. Manufacturers were told for years that there needed to be a small piece of plastic or metal put into the shifters of vehicles with automatic transmissions, and this has been the same way for nearly 20 years, yet there are still some accidents caused by these automatic-transmission-equipped vehicles when they slip out of gear, and suddenly hit another object, whether another car or a building. There have been some newer cars with standard transmissions, and based on the same principle as the automatic transmission safety devices, a small neutral safety switch is to be installed on these vehicles to prevent them from being started in neutral, or without the clutch being depressed, which when they fail, causes them to start in whatever gear they may be in, and un-expectedly drive into the un-intended position, and as before they may often strike another heavy solid object, causing injuries and property damage.

If you have been hurt in an accident there are a number of potentialities in regard to the cause. You may have rights, so make sure you secure and preserve them by contacting a dedicated attorney, who is experienced in auto accidents, and can help you find out all the liabilities in your case, and if qualified receive financial compensation.

E. Michael Grossman is an accomplished personal injury attorney focusing on car accident cases. Visit Michael's Injury Law Blog for more information relating to Personal Injury.