An Accident Lawyer’s Perspective
We’ve all seen those car crash test videos. A car speeds past the camera toward some stationary object or perhaps another car in slow motion. We watch as the parts of the car that come in contact with the other object crumple, glass shatter and the car shudder until finally coming to a stop. These are all tests to determine how well the car can survive the crash and what potential injuries with the driver or passengers may suffer as a result.
Did you know the organization behind these videos is the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, or IIHS for short? This organization performs tests during each year and releases their findings to the public regarding which cars perform the best in crash tests AND which do not perform as well.
As a car accident lawyer here in Orange County I’ve seen my share of accident damage both to vehicles and to persons. Vehicle damage can range from mild to severe, but in the end a car is just a material object. Car crash injuries to a person also run the gamut from minor two extremely serious—even life-threatening, or God forbid, fatal. The driver and passengers of motor vehicle are living, breathing, human beings who, unlike automobiles, cannot be replaced.
While road safety continues to improve, and car manufacturers continue to make their products safer and safer each year, it may be helpful to take the IIHS recommendations under consideration. Just as it’s much safer to make use of seatbelts when operating the motor vehicle selecting one that has performed well in crash tests should make a difference as well.
Foreign Makers Top the List
I don’t intend to list every single car that’s been given classification “top safety pick” by IIHS, but I do find it interesting that in most cases top performers are almost exclusively models made by foreign manufacturers. (As an aside I should add that many of these “foreign” cars are often assembled at plants here in United States.) For 2020, just taking a look at the small car category, the top performers include Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru, Mazda, and Toyota. We don’t begin to see American manufacturers on the list until the small SUV category which includes the Chevrolet Equinox and Ford Escape.
The dominance of foreign manufacturers on the IIHS list it’s interesting and it should give American car companies an incentive to increase the safety of their vehicles. Regardless, if you are in the market to purchase a new automobile, safety should be one of the top factors influencing your choice. While it would be great to “buy American,” where your or your family’s safety is concerned it doesn’t matter whether the car you’re driving is made by company in Seoul, Tokyo or Detroit. You want to avoid ever experiencing a car accident in the first place, but if it should happen, survivability is paramount. You know, honestly, I would rather not see a car accident victim as a client. I would rather they never have an accident or need my services. If safer cars can prevent accidents or bodily injuries, that’s the goal. However, even the safest cars are not immune and should you experience a motor vehicle accident and need to enlist the services of a personal injury lawyer, I am here to help. If I can be of service please call my office at 714-544-1460.