It's always easy to blame the other driver when you get into a car accident. However, your injuries may be significantly worse because you were in a poorly designed vehicle. Although vehicle safety has become more prominent in recent years, many models and manufacturers still produce defective products that can cause worse injuries or even death.
Consumer Reports, the go-to guide for anyone who wants an unbiased review of a product, made a list of the safest cars. Who wins and who loses?
For large sedans and luxury cars, the Audi A4, Lexis ES300, and the BMW 330i are reported as some of the safest. Unfortunately for American manufacturers, the Buick LeSabre Limited and Chrysler 300M were last. In the family car category the V6 versions of the VW Passat and Toyota Camry XLE placed first for safety. The VW Golf TDI and VW Jetta GLS TDI also ranked first for small cars along with the Honda Civic EX.
The Toyota Tundra SR5 4.7, Dodge Ram SLT 4.7, and Ford F150 XLT 5.4 were given the highest marks for pickup safety. In the small SUV / Minivan category, the V6 Saturn VUE, Hyundai Santa Fe GLS, and Honda CR-V EX were the safest. The mid-sized SUVs with the best protection were the Acura MDX, Toyota Highlander, and Lexis RX300. The safest minivans were the Honda Odyssey EX, the Mazda MPV LX, and the Toyota Sienna LE.
The most poorly designed vehicle was suspected to be a minivan, the Pontiac Montana, which is still being sold.
Of course you should always try to buy the safest vehicle you can. Unfortunately even the safest vehicles aren't going to be able to protect you from every injury that can happen in an accident. Even though you can't anticipate a car accident, your car should – it should be designed to protect you if something happens. In the highest ranked vehicles, you will probably have a lower chance of becoming injured in a seatbelt failure, roof crush, or seatback failure.
Another thing you need to know: it can make handling an injury claim that much more complicated. A defective vehicle design may contribute to your injuries in a car accident. If a product defect is the case, then the company who made your car might be partially or wholly responsible for your injuries. A qualified and experienced car accident attorney will understand your complicated situation and may be able to get you help to pay your medical bills. You probably need someone who is qualified and experienced after the fact to determine if the vehicle you were traveling in had any major defects that contributed to your injuries.
Don't know if your situation merits an attorney? Do your homework and find as much free information you can. There is a wealth of resources on the internet to aid you in resolving your injury claim, but double check the source of the information.