Defective Seat Belts and the Hidden Dangers in Riverside

An experienced team of car accident attorneys Riverside will tell you that one of the worst cases that they have to deal with is that of an accident or fatality caused by a defective seatbelt. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2009 there were 3,081 road traffic fatalities in California. This figure is thankfully 353 less than the same period in 2008. During this time the percentage of vehicle drivers and passengers wearing seatbelts shot up from 76% in 2008 to 85% in 2009. Coincidence? I'll let you be the judge of that

Although there may be other underlying reasons as to the decrease in road traffic fatalities over the last 12 months, the bottom line is the seatbelts do save lives. So when we buckle up, we put our absolute faith in the fact that the vehicle safety belt is there to protect us should we be faced with the unfortunate situation where an accident occurs.

One of the main issues with a defective seatbelt is that to all intent and purpose it can seem perfectly normal. It may buckle up fine and seems to click into place. It may also spool and lock perfectly. However in many cases (and this is the real crux) it isn't until the safety belt is put under pressure (similar to that of sudden or sharp breaking or an impact) that the fault comes to light often with devastating consequences. This is the hidden danger of a defective safety belt.

Having said this, there are in some circumstances, ways in which you can determine whether you're a using a defective seatbelt. It has to be said that these are crude tests and are by no means definitive means by which a seat belt can be deemed safe. A team of Riverside car Accident attorneys explain...

5lb pressure test

In many cases the law states that a seatbelt is deemed faulty when the buckle comes away from the latch when 5lbs or more of pressure are exerted. Try giving a sharp tug on the belt down towards the latch mechanism. If after a sharp tug, it comes away from the buckle then it may need replacing. It is worth trying this several times to make sure that the latch is inserted fully into the buckle.

Locking mechanism

A lot of defective seatbelt accidents occur when the belt itself doesn't lock when force is applied. This inertial lock was originally designed to protect the person from what is known as the 'second collision' This is where inertial forces propel the body forward a split second after the original impact, forcing vehicle occupants either through windscreens, making impact with the vehicle dashboard, or in the case of back seat passengers, being crushed by the seat in front. To test if the locking mechanism works, again pull sharply on the belt with 5lbs or more of pressure. If it fails to lock, then it is deemed as faulty and will again need changing.

Defective webbing

Another cause of a defective belt is badly designed webbing. It could be a manufacturing defect which is hard to detect with the naked eye, but there may well be more obvious signs such as tears or rips in the belt itself, if this is the case, then it will need changing.

If you have suffered a car accident and you believe that the seatbelt didn't protect you, then after seeking medical advice, you should contact a highly experienced team of Riverside car accident attorneys. They will have the ability to call upon a whole host of independent experts who are able to investigate your claims further. People such as accident reconstruction experts and forensic scientists can be used to present their findings back to the lawyer. If a defective seatbelt was found, then proceedings can be put in place to file a claim against either the safety belt manufacturer or the vehicle manufacturer.

A skilled team of Riverside car accident attorneys will appoint a lawyer who will have the ability to deliver a full and fair compensation package to the victim and their family. They will do this whilst acting with compassion towards the client, but at the same time will have a steely determination to win the case. Speed is of the essence in a case such as this so if you are a victim of a defective seatbelt, then don't suffer in silence, call a lawyer today.