Few things are more frightening than a vehicle fire. A recent tragedy in which a 2011 Chevy Traverse ignited on I-64 in Norfolk, Virginia (VA), killing a man and injuring his wife and young child, proved this.
Such a needless burning of a family, apparently caused by a malfunctioning fuel line, is a terrible nightmare. It’s not known whether any components of the SUV were defective, but when a car or truck maker risks lives by selling an unsafe vehicle, it should be held responsible. So a recent truck recall of F-150 and F-250 pickup trucks produced from 1997 to 2004 and Lincoln Blackwood pickups made from 2002 to 2003 caught my attention as a Virginia personal injury lawyer.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced on August 1, 2011, that 1.1 million pickup trucks need to be recalled to have faulty metal straps that secure the trucks’ gas tanks replaced. The straps can rust when exposed to salt and chemicals used to remove snow and ice from roads, causing the gas tank to fall off, rupture or even catch fire.
Most Americans know that salt-treated abrasives can accelerate vehicle corrosion. Ford, a leading automobile manufacturer, knows that too. So why would the company use straps that hold fuel tank in place under its pickup trucks susceptible to corrosion? It also makes me wonder why the NHTSA had to initiate the investigation into the gas tank issue instead of Ford.
Car manufacturing has recently been in the headlines for other defects, and our experienced Virginia personal injury firm has reported on a number of cases in which defects have led to recalls in the auto industry.
CT