How Much Does a Seatbelt Really Do?

We are used to automotive companies emphasizing safety, but they do so by emphasizing the harm another car can do, not the harm that can result from an ill-equipped safety restraint. The focus is on other vehicles, not on the seatbelt itself. So when someone is injured in a car accident, not only does the other car have to take the blame, but a defective restraint must also be a cause for blame.

A seatbelt may be considered defective if someone was injured in a car accident even though they were properly belted and the injury could have been less severe than it was if a better restraint was provided. When investigating if a seatbelt is defective, experts must recreate an accident and gather any available evidence of past defects and recalls of the device.

It is important to analyze the injuries a person sustained in the car accident in question. A seatbelt properly designed should sit on the strongest body parts, such as the pelvis and shoulder. Injuries to other areas of the body indicate poor belt performance. Potential seatbelt defects might include buckle failure, poor coupling, poor geometry, restraint failure, or lap-only seat belts.

Car accidents cause thousands of fatalities every year, and car manufacturers know that safety needs to be a key component of their vehicle design. However, sometimes vehicle safety equipment is not up to standard and ends up causing serious injury or fails to prevent a serious injury. If you have been injured in a crash partially or wholly due to seatbelt defects, it is important to seek the help of a product liability attorney from Arnold & Itkin. Contact a product liability lawyer from our firm today for a free evaluation of your case.