Is Your Car Safe? Top 5 Defective Auto Parts in Oklahoma Vehicles

When a product malfunctions, it doesn’t always cause a serious injury. It may be scary to have a stepstool collapse or have a vacuum bag explode, but many of these incidents pass without causing harm. In fact, we often count ourselves lucky.

But what if a product malfunctions at 70 miles an hour?

The fact is that many Oklahoma car accidents are caused not by driver error, but by malfunctioning auto parts. Just as we trust household items to work safely, we put ourselves at risk every time we get behind the wheel-and sometimes we’re risking more than we realize.

Here are just a few items in your car whose malfunctions have caused automobile accidents in Oklahoma:

  •  Airbags. The airbag is a driver’s best defense in an accident. If the airbag fails to open, occupants have a much greater chance of suffering head injuries, spinal cord trauma, or even death.
  •  Fuel systems. Remember the Ford Pinto? The placement of the fuel tank made it extremely likely that the tank would explode when rear-ended, causing multiple deaths across the nation.
  •  Brakes. Brakes not only help you avoid an accident, they also lessen the force of impact if an object is hit. If brakes fail, the increased force can turn a minor accident into a fatal one.
  •  Seatbelts. When seatbelts malfunction, there is nothing to stop an accident victim from being thrown through the windshield-or from being trapped in the car if the release button is faulty.
  •  Gas pedals. Recently Toyota recalled many of its new models due to automatic acceleration. When these problems occur, consumers have a right to file grievances, often initiating life-saving product recalls.

As trusted Oklahoma City defective product attorneys, we know that while defective car parts cause many accidents, it can be difficult to prove this was the case. Car manufacturers may argue that the accident would have occurred even if the part had worked properly, or that your injury could have been avoided if you had handled the product differently.

At the Buxton Law Group, we cut through the technicalities to get you the compensation you need to recover. If someone you love was injured in an Oklahoma City car accident, call our offices today at (405) 604-5577 for a free consultation.