Case Study: Automobile Dealership Deceptive Sales Scheme
A publicly traded dealer group, along within 15 of its dealerships, was sued on the theory that the sales of Window Etching Theft Deterrent were deceptive, misleading and part of a plan orchestrated by the dealer group to encourage and assist dealers in a deceptive sales scheme.
Trends in Automobile Safety: Analysies of Recent NCAP Front Crash Tests
This article contains a few of the findings from our recent study of automobile safety in frontal crashes. Parts of the data analyses are presented but details such as the relationship of a particular design feature to the measured injury indicators are highly dependent on specific cases and are available only for individual discussions.
Will the New Crash Test Rating System Help Improve Auto Safety in the US?
The New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (part of the U.S Department of Transportation) underwent major changes recently. For automobiles designated as model years 2011 and later, the changes involve both what is measured and what is published.
Auto Manufacturer's Liability in Pedestrian Injury Cases - Effect of Automobile's Front Structure Design
Over the years, there have been several product liability litigations regarding pedestrians being injured and the front structure designs of the vehicles being alleged as the significant factor.
Automobiles' Seat And Seatback Structure And Occupants' Safety In Crashes
The structural behavior of automobile seats and seatbacks is one of the factors often examined in investigating injuries to a vehicle's occupant(s) in crashes.
Automotive Lamp Filament Analysis
Some motor vehicle accidents take place during the night time hours when natural sun light is not present.
Airbag Deployments, Vehicle Structure And Occupant Safety Issues
Airbags in modern automobiles have been around for many years and their record in improving occupant safety in crashes is generally well accepted. However, many questions still arise regarding their deployment and performance in crashes.
The Transportation Training Conundrum
Recently, I conducted a workshop on safety and liability for transportation directors. I asked innocently, "What do you do after training?" Several attendees shouted out, "More training!"
Sleep and Mythology
Many of our fundamental and commonly-held beliefs are invalid because they were derived, often haphazardly, from a blur of intuition, superstition, history, tradition and circumstance rarely subjected to scientific scrutiny. Before the inventions of artificial light and mechanical clocks, being awake during daylight and asleep during darkness were survival necessities - lest one be devoured by predators or stumble into a pit.
Reviewing Drivers' Logs
In my review of more than 80 public transportation-related accidents and law suits, one almost universal theme has been the absence of any log review. This failure has generally combined with another common theme: A vehicle running behind schedule. The relationship between these two themes is easy to both understand and demonstrate - as is the acknowledgement that they constitute a genuine safety problem. But in a courtroom, the fact that system management failed to notice the vehicle running late - and worse, failed to even look for it - translates into a liability problem as well.
