Every day developments in the area of product safety occur. Whether it be recalls, the launch of defect investigations by NHTSA, or national or regional news about advancements in automotive safety technologies, news and information in this area is constantly changing.
To assist consumers and attorneys, some of the more notable developments are noted herein for easy reference. If you have any questions about any of these topics or desire more information do not hesitate to call us.
August 26, 2009 -
The United States Bankruptcy Court entered an order establishing the deadline to file Proofs of Claim. Pursuant to Docket # 5018, the United States Bankruptcy Court has established September 28, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time as the deadline for filing of proofs of claims against the Debtors. This action follows the April 30th, 2009 Chapter 11 filing by Old Carco LLC (f/k/a Chrysler LLC) and twenty-four of its affiliates (collectively, the “Debtors”) seeking relief under the United States Bankruptcy Code.
August 15, 2009 -
Enterprise Rent-A-Car, the nation’s largest private buyer of new cars and seller of used ones, chose to “delete” a standard safety feature from thousands of Chevrolet Impala fleet vehicles, saving millions of dollars.
After the company rented out those 2006-08 model vehicles, Enterprise and countless dealers nationwide offered them for sale on the open market — minus the side-curtain air bags that have been shown to dramatically reduce highway deaths.
August 12, 2009 -
BMW is recalling certain Model Year 2006 through 2008 R1200 GS motorcycles manufactured between August 2006 and January 2008. The sealing of the fuel pump control unit housing might be insufficient and water could intrude into the control unit housing creating a humid atmosphere. Under such conditions, the fuel pump could corrode and then fail.
August 12, 2009 -
An unexpected cause of drowning deaths is on the rise: children escaping from their homes via pet doors and finding their way to swimming pools. Such incidents have now caught the attention of drowning-prevention groups as well as the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which says it is recording more of them. One research firm says it has documented about 100 such cases that resulted in near drownings, drowning deaths or injuries since 1996.
August 4, 2009 -
Exclusive CBS News Investigation Finds 59 Deaths, Hundreds Of Injuries Linked To Yamaha's Off-Road Vehicle.
In the swath of Kentucky called the Land Between The Lakes, the Turkey Bay Off-Highway Vehicle Area is a rugged expanse of hills and woodlands crisscrossed by 100 miles of trails. Test drivers came here in July, 2002, to try out the Yamaha Rhino, a new breed of off-road vehicle then in development, and had a mishap that would resonate years later.
August 2, 2009 -
A safety recall of the driver's air bag in certain Honda vehicles is being expanded to include more vehicles.
The recall now involves certain 2001-2002 Honda Accords, 2001 Civics and 2002-2003 Acura TL's. The recall is due to a potential defect in the airbag's inflation system.
July 27, 2009 -
"How big does a kid have to be to sit in a car's front seat? There are lots of opinions out there ranging from 12 years old, to 16. What is the height and weight we should be looking for to make this transition?"
July 21, 2009 -
Honda is recalling model year 2001 Civic and Accord vehicles after determining that the driver's airbag inflator could produce excessive internal pressure.
July 20, 2009 -
In 2003, researchers at a federal agency proposed a long-term study of 10,000 drivers to assess the safety risk posed by cellphone use behind the wheel. But such an ambitious study never happened. And the researchers' agency, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, decided not to make public hundreds of pages of research and warnings about the use of phones by drivers - in part, officials say, because of concerns about angering Congress.
May 21, 2009 -
With Memorial Day weekend approaching and pools across the country opening, a new report released today by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) provides updated figures on child drowning deaths and injuries in pools and spas.
May 20, 2009 -
In a memorandum to the heads of executive departments and agencies, President Barack Obama made clear his stance on preempting state law. An excerpt from the memo is below. “Our Federal system is reflected in longstanding practices by executive departments and agencies, which have shown respect for the traditional prerogatives of the States.
May 19, 2009 -
If Chrysler’s bankruptcy plan is approved, current owners of Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles may find that their right to sue the automaker for injury-causing defects is a matter of debate.
May 13, 2009 -
Chrysler LLC's bankruptcy may take as long as two years, instead of the two months that U.S. President Barack Obama suggested as a target, Bloomberg said, citing an administration official.
May 12, 2009 -
More than a hundred children have died or been seriously injured in the last decade after squeezing through tiny pet doors and getting into swimming pools or other dangerous places, new research has found.
May 12, 2009 -
In the last decade, more than 100 children have been injured or drowned after exiting their homes through a pet door and falling into backyard pools.
May 6, 2009 -
It can happen in a split second. Your child slips out of sight before slipping into danger.
May 1, 2009 -
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers to immediately stop using Hydroxycut products by Iovate Health Sciences Inc., of Oakville, Ontario and distributed by Iovate Health Sciences USA Inc. of Blasdell, N.Y. Some Hydroxycut products are associated with a number of serious liver injuries. Iovate has agreed to recall Hydroxycut products from the market.
April 30, 2009 -
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced new roof standards that will strengthen vehicle roof structures and improve rollover crash protection. The new regulation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will double the current roof strength requirement for light vehicles weighing up to 6,000 pounds. The current standard calls for roofs to withstand 1.5 times the weight of the vehicle, applied to one side of the roof, for light vehicles up to 6,000 pounds. Heavier vehicles from 6,000 to 10,000 pounds, which have never been regulated, must now have both sides of the roof capable of withstanding a force equal to 1.5 times the weight of the vehicle.
April 14, 2009 -
General Motors Corp is recalling nearly 1.5 million Buick, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile and Pontiac mid-sized cars due to a potential leak of engine oil that could cause an engine fire.
April 14, 2009 -
Three front-to-front crash tests, each involving a microcar or minicar into a midsize model from the same manufacturer, show how extra vehicle size and weight enhance occupant protection in collisions. These Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests are about the physics of car crashes, which dictate that very small cars generally can't protect people in crashes as well as bigger, heavier models.
April 12, 2009 -
Recalls of some 800,000 cars in the last year to address issues with so-called smart air bags and occupant-detection systems are raising questions about the products' IQ. The new, smarter front-passenger air bags were first installed in 2004 models to prevent injuries and deaths in young children and small women from bags that deployed at a force meant to protect an unbelted, 165-pound man. But the bags may not always deploy when they should—or may when they should not. The smart systems, in all passenger vehicles starting with 2007 models, are designed to tell the front air bag whether to deploy, and in some systems how forcefully to deploy, based on the weight of the passenger. To determine that, some systems use bladders filled with gel; others use a mat in the seat. Both are geared to tell the air bag controller not to deploy when the passenger weighs less than 105 pounds.
April 8, 2009 -
A little boy nearly drowned in a swimming pool while at his aunt’s house near Fort Myers, Florida. Family members say all of the doors in the house were locked but the boy may have gotten out through the doggy door in the back of the house.
April 8, 2009 -
President Barack Obama has chosen a top official with Mothers Against Drunk Driving to lead a Transportation agency that oversees safety and fuel efficiency requirements for automakers.
April 2, 2009 -
Few features are as important on new cars as the latest safety features. Manufacturers have leveraged auto safety technology to make driving less risky and to differentiate their products.
March 31, 2009 -
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Yamaha Motor Corp. U.S.A., announced a free repair program to address safety issues with all Rhino 450, 660, and 700 model off-highway recreational vehicles. Yamaha has also agreed to voluntarily suspend sale of these models immediately until repaired. Consumers should immediately stop using these popular recreational vehicles until the repair is installed by a dealer.