Car Safety: A Tale of Two Cars

Over the last 18 years practicing injury law, I have seen a whole lot of wrecked cars. There is generally a correlation between the amount of damage sustained by the car and the injuries sustained by its passengers. However, that is certainly not always the case.

Many factors determine how bad the damages will be in a car accident and one of the most important is the safety of the vehicles involved.

In May's Bizarre Case of the Month, I featured the "breast-pumping lady" who absolutely destroyed my clients' Volkswagen Jetta. I mentioned that while my clients sustained serious injuries, they were not life-threatening and all is thankfully well with them now.

This past month, I resolved yet another case involving a totally destroyed Jetta-this time my clients were hit on Loop 820 by an RV driver who was simply not paying attention. Luckily, my clients in this wreck walked away with minor injuries and I was able to resolve their cases without costly and lengthy litigation.

Check out the pictures of these two totally destroyed Jettas from both cases. It's absolutely amazing that no one died or that no one suffered life-threatening injuries. This makes me want to drive a Jetta just for the safety aspect.

Jetta2

Jetta1

When purchasing a new (or used) car, the vehicle's safety record is definitely something everyone should consider. However, it's easy to get distracted by other important factors like price, looks, comfort and gas mileage. When considering safety, we all know better than to listen to the car salesmen, as they all tout the safety aspects of the cars they sell no matter what.

Instead, I suggest doing a comprehensive internet search on the cars you are considering.

The best website to visit is the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (www.iihs.com). It gives vehicles grades for the four main tests:

frontal offset
side impact
roof strength
rear crash protection/head restraint.

All car models are tested and the IHHS gives out awards for their "top safety pick." Not surprisingly, the Jetta did very well in the safety tests and was a "top safety pick."

Contact the Anderson Law Firm online, or by calling 817-294-1900 for a free consultation on your rights.