Congress, Crash Victims Want Action on Deadly Seat Back Failures

by Steph Willems

Published: May 25th, 2016

congress crash victims want action on deadly seat back failures

Modern technology helps vehicles avoid collisions and prevents injury, but the potential for a deadly collision inside the vehicle is being overlooked, some say.

Seat back collapses have killed or seriously injured 100 people since 1989, a CBS News investigation found, and lawmakers in Congress are now joining victims in calling for action.

Although all new vehicles must pass federal safety regulations before they can be approved for sale, advocates say the standards for seat strength are too low. In a rear impact, front seat backs can fail, propelling front seat occupants towards the rear of the car, where they often collide with back seat passengers.

Children, especially those in front-facing car seats, are especially vulnerable when this happens.

A similar investigation by Fox News found 100 lawsuits claiming the death of a child was caused by seat back failure.

Both reports highlight the case of 16-month-old Taylor Warner, who died after her parent’s 2010 Honda Odyssey was rear-ended by a vehicle travelling 55 miles per hour. The child suffered fatal head trauma after the Honda’s driver’s seat collapsed into her.

An auto industry engineer once testified that strengthening seats would cost about a dollar.

Today, Senators Ed Markey (D–MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D–CT) plan to send a letter to 19 automakers, including Honda, asking for answers on the issue. Markey seems especially angered by the inaction of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“We had warnings on airbags for years. NHTSA did nothing. We’ve had warnings on seat backs killing children in the back seats. NHTSA has done nothing,” Markey told CBS. “This is just history repeating itself. It just has to end.”

While the NHTSA is aware of the potential for seat back failures, it claims it doesn’t have enough data to support changes to seat construction. The safest place for a child, according to the NHTSA, remains the back seat.

[Image: IIHS]

#Backseat #Collision #Congress #Injuries #NHTSA #Safety #TrafficFatalities

Steph Willems

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Thabo on May 26, 2016

And what about the third row seat elephant in the room here. Kids heads are 8 inches from the rear glass, may as well store the buggers in the trunk! My A8 D2 is a mechanical mess but having a trunk and a certain mass makes me less worried about the little ones in the back. Also rear end crashes. Recent case here in Boulder where two folks were killed when rear ended by a Jetta doing 45Mph in a newish Honda fit that was waiting at a traffic light. This should not of happened? I was under the impression a low speed crash such as this was survivable. http://www.dailycamera.com/news/boulder/ci_29937461/teen-driver-be-charged-vehicular-homicide-dui-fatal Of course let's remember than in some countries NEW cars STILL don't come with airbags or even ABS! Parents bought a new Hyundai Atos without either in 2010. Funny as I see them a lot here in Germany so I assume it was an option and they just choose to cheap out for the African market.

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Carl0s on May 27, 2016

I guess AEB will deal with this problem and hopefully become as commonplace as ABS.

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Bd2 Lexus is just a higher trim package Toyota. ^^
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