After 23 years of practicing personal injury law in York County, I am amazed how people survive serious car accidents these days. I have several head-on collision cases in the Rock Hill and Fort Mill area in which everyone in the vehicles should have died. However, thanks to good engineering and angels, all survived with relatively minor injuries. One case involved a very kind elderly couple who did not even break a bone. Nevertheless, I read recently that a new crash test involving luxury cars showing these vehicles may not be able to provide protection from serious injuries in a common accident. More specifically, cars including BMW, Mercedes and Lexus all earned “poor” ratings in a test that simulated what happens when the front corner of a sedan hits another vehicle or an object such as a tree or pole, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In fact, just three out of 11 luxury cars from the 2012 model year passed the new crash test which evaluated front-corner impacts.
In the actual test, 25% of a car’s front end on the driver’s side is rammed into a 5-foot-high rigid barrier at 40 mph. In my experience, this type of impact is fairly common. Most impacts are at an angle and at significant speed. Airbags deploy, and seatbelts are engaged, if being used. According to recent studies, there are more than 10,000 deaths in frontal crashes each year. And this figure is far higher for resulting serious injuries requiring extensive surgery and months of rehabilitation. The study I read showed the Acura TL and Volvo S60 earned “good” ratings, while the Infiniti G was rated “acceptable.” The Acura TSX, BMW 3 Series, Lincoln MKZ and Volkswagen CC all received “marginal” ratings. And, finally, the Audi A4, Lexus ES 350, Lexus IS 250/350 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class were rated “poor.” Given their high prices and highly touted safety reputations, it is quite surprising that these manufacturers did so poorly. I would note that these particular cars are the smaller models in the fleet. Guess you cannot alter basic laws of physics. In these tests, the crash forces in such accidents are transferred to the front wheel, suspension system and firewall. In many instances, the front wheel pushes into the cabin, causing serious leg and foot injuries.
If you have been involved in a serious car accident in the Rock Hill / Fort Mill area, carefully compare our attorneys’ credentials to any other firm. Then call us for a private consultation about your case. For more information about our firm, please visit www.rjrlaw.com or call us directly at 803-548-4444.