Ford recalls SUVs over faulty side airbag
May 28, 2015On behalf of Terence Gross of Gross & Schuster, P.A. posted in Car Accidents on Thursday, May 15, 2014.
Ford Motor Company has reportedly issued a recall on over hundreds of thousands of vehicles, adding to the list of recent recalls from car manufacturers. One recall applies to 692,700 units of the 2013 and 2014 Escape, which have an issue with the door handle getting caught and preventing the door from shutting correctly. The concern there is that the door could open while the vehicle is operating on the roadway.
Another 692,500 units of the Escape and C-Max hybrid from 2013 and 2014. The issue with those vehicles is that an error in software may result in the side air bags from inflating in a rollover crash. The latter type of motor vehicle accident, or course, can result in serious accidents and injuries, and having properly inflated airbags is an important safety feature.
Rollover crashes can occur with various types of vehicles, but SUVs and full-sized vans are well known for their vulnerability in this area. This is because these vehicles tend to have a higher center of gravity. Pickup trucks are also at risk for rollover crashes.
Because of the nature of rollover accidents, the risk of fatality for passengers is particularly high when compared to other types of crashes. This is partly because the roof is more likely to collapse and cause deadly injuries.
Fortunately, SUVs have come a long way in improving their safety features. Still, there is a risk of such accidents for any vehicle with a higher center of gravity. Those who have been in a rollover crash and severely injured due to the negligence of another driver or a car manufacturer should contact an experienced personal injury attorney to have their case evaluated.
Source: NBC News, “Ford Recalls 600K SUVs for a Pair of Potential Safety Problems,” May 9, 2014.
