How Can a Defective Vehicle Cause an Accident?

Our cars are probably the biggest mechanical system we use daily and take for granted. As long as you’ve got gas in the tank or a charge on the EV battery, you expect the car to turn on when you start the ignition. What you don’t always think about are your car’s 30,000 parts that need to be in perfect working order for it to start and safely make it from point A to point B.

Obviously, not every one of those 30,000 parts is considered a critical system, but it only takes one defect to trigger a cascade effect that can end in a devastating accident. If that defect can be traced back to the car’s manufacturer or the negligent mechanic who installed it, those parties could be held responsible for the accident. It would be important to know if the accident caused damage or injury to some other driver.

Getting to the bottom of who is liable in a car accident is the perfect task to turn over to a skilled car accident lawyer. It will be essential to determine which of the following seven defects could have caused your car accident.

1. Faulty Brakes

Is there anything more frightening than imagining you’re driving down the highway when suddenly your brakes fail, and you can’t come to a stop? Would you know what to do in that nightmare scenario? If your brakes fail, it can lead to rear-ending a car or running a red light. Brakes with faulty fluid lines or defective pads or calibers can fail to operate when you need them most. There can also be issues with a car’s Antilock Brake System (ABS) or a dual brake system that can cause an accident.

2. Electrical System Problems

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is the government agency responsible for issuing recalls. With the growing popularity of EVs, potential problems with electrical systems are coming under even more scrutiny. Car and Driver recently reported on a Porsche recall because of problems with their Taycan EVs’ electrical system and the risk of a short circuit. You don’t want an electric failure to shut down your car in the middle of the road.

It is also important to note that just because a particular car part is recalled, the manufacturer isn’t off the hook. They can still be held liable for an accident.

3. Faulty Steering Systems

There is no such thing as a car trip without dozens of left and right turns. Even the simple act of changing lanes requires a slight turn of the wheel. A faulty steering system can cause you to lose control of your car, leading to sideswiping into a guard rail or another car.

4. Windshield Wiper Malfunctions

Driving during a heavy rainstorm will decrease your visibility. You will depend on your car’s windshield wipers to help you see the road ahead. If those windshield wipers fail during the next storm, they could impede your vision, which can lead to rear-end collisions.

5. Accelerator Problems

The opposite of a problem with your brakes is issues with your accelerator. If you can’t slow down or speed up to avoid a collision, it could be that your accelerator is stuck in place. That means you’ve lost control of the car, and the only way to stop it is to collide with something else.

6. Faulty Airbags

Airbags have been a standard safety feature for decades. It is a safety feature you hope you’ll never have to deploy. On the other hand, if you get into an accident, those airbags can significantly reduce the risk of injury or worse. As reported by USA Today, the decade-long Takata airbag recall has been linked to 28 deaths. Unfortunately, you won’t know if your airbags are working properly until you get into an accident. That is why you want to pay attention to the recalls.

7. Defective Tires

You can’t avoid your tires wearing down. A lot of the responsibility for tire care is on the car owner. If you’re driving on worn-down treads, it could lead to an accident, and you might be held liable for it. However, if a manufacturer defect in a tire causes a blowout, there could be a liability issue with the tire maker.

Holding the Right Parties Accountable

If a defective part causes a car accident, you’ll want to discuss what happened with Prince Law Firm. We have helped many clients investigate accidents they’ve been involved in where defective parts were a factor. These cases can be complex, but we bring our decades of investigative and negotiation experience to every case.