Vehicle Safety Press Articles - First Quarter 2006

Washington Post, "Jury Awards Family $8 Million in Death; Oakton High Student One of Two Killed by Trucker Who Fell Asleep"

          A Fairfax County jury awarded $8 million yesterday to the family of an Oakton High School student who was killed in 2002 when a truck driver fell asleep behind the wheel and crushed the car the teenager was riding in. More...

Bloomberg News, "Lawsuits cost Ford $255 million"

          Ford Motor Co.'s strategy of going to trial to fight vehicle-accident lawsuits cost the automaker more than $255 million in verdicts it lost last year. Ford, the No. 2 U.S. automaker, lost seven verdicts of $20 million or more last year in lawsuits claiming defects linked to rollovers and other accidents, compared with one award against the rest of the industry, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
          The number of large losses, higher than in the previous five years combined, may prompt Ford to reconsider its strategy of refusing to settle before trial, Stanford University law professor Robert Rabin said. The verdicts also may hurt Dearborn, Mich.-based Ford's effort to improve its safety image and regain market share, analysts said.

Detroit News, "Limited recall riles GM owners; NHTSA monitors brake callback in 20 states and D.C. as complaints mount"

          General Motors Corp. last year recalled 1.35 million trucks and SUVs in 20 states and Washington, D.C., to clean brake sensors that could malfunction and cause accidents.
          Despite the recalls, though, GM is struggling to move beyond questions about the anti-lock brakes on its best-selling Chevrolet Silverado pickup and seven other models. Reports continue to pour in from states not covered under the recall -- and some from states like Michigan that are included -- of accidents and near-misses from truck owners experiencing braking problems.

Associated Press, "Design changes reduce deaths in vehicles struck by SUVs, pickups"

          Design changes in sport utility vehicles and pickups have reduced deaths in cars struck by the large vehicles, a study says. The number of deaths of drivers in cars caught in side-impact crashes with SUVs dropped nearly 50 percent when automakers lowered the height of SUVs or added impact-absorbing bars below the front bumpers, said the report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

ConsumerAffairs.com, "Recalled Trucks Burn As Ford Fiddles; Massive Recall Moves Slowly as New Fires Break Out"

          Despite a massive recall announced in September, Ford trucks are continuing to catch fire and burn -- some of them covered by the recall, some not. More about the Ford fire recall.

WSBTV.com, "Trucks Burst Into Flames, Even When Turned Off"

          Some of the most popular trucks on the road just burst into flame while they're shut off in the drive way. Ford Motor Company has a recall to handle the problem. But some customers complain about how Ford handles those whose trucks have already burned up.
          A Kennesaw, Georgia couple blames their truck for starting the fire that killed their four year old daughter. New Year’s Day 2004, firefighters couldn't stop the home of Tanika and Juan Washington from burning to the ground. No one could save four year old Blake. She was trapped, and died in her bed. “Just to know that Tanika was screaming for her baby and was completely helpless just makes me sick,” recounted Grant Bell, a family friend. More...

Herald Salinas (CA), "Suit over fatal truck crash settled for $4.5M"

          An international lawsuit stemming from a 2004 fatal crash along Highway 101 in Prunedale was settled Monday in Monterey for $4.5 million after less than three full days of trial. More about the Salinas fatal truck crash...

The Los Angeles Times, "Low Scores for SUVs, Pickups; Only six vehicles earn the insurance institute's top rank in rear crashes."

          Head restraints in several sport utility vehicles and pickups poorly protected test dummies from neck injuries in a simulated rear crash at 20 mph, the insurance industry reported Sunday. More about SUV safety standards...

The Denver Post, "Death spurs car-window debate; Springs tot choked by glass"

          The story of a 3-year-old taken off life support four days after being choked by an electric car window points out the need to eliminate certain switches and other potentially fatal window designs in U.S. cars, a child safety advocate said. Power car window child death article continued...

Associated Press, "Study Shows Children No Safer in SUVs"

          Children are no safer riding in sport utility vehicles than in passenger cars, largely because the doubled risk of rollovers in SUVs cancels out the safety advantages of their greater size and weight, according to a study. More...