Motorists, understandably, often take the safety of their vehicles – as well as those belonging to others – for granted. After all, driving around paranoid that your vehicle could spontaneously combust, that your tires could burst or that your airbag could shoot shrapnel at you is no way to travel. Yet, there are hidden defects in many vehicle models that result in all of these risks and more. As a result, taking the safety of vehicles in general for granted is not a great idea.
Take, for example, one of Tesla’s very recent recall efforts. The company recalled more than 2 million of its vehicles – the majority of all Teslas on U.S. roads – after the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had pushed for months that something needed to be done.
What happened and why does it matter?
The NHTSA was alerted multiple times that Tesla’s self-driving technology does not always work as intended and may inspire disastrous consequences. Before the recall was announced, at least 11 Teslas on partial autopilot had crashed into parked emergency vehicles. Dozens of other crashes resulting in at least 17 deaths were reported as well.
Unfortunately, even though a fix is being put into place as a result of the recall, there are already concerns being voiced by numerous safety administrations that it is insufficient. And even if this fix works as intended, the broader problem with these Teslas illustrates a pressing concern that affects all motorists.
Vehicles are comprised of thousands of physical parts and software components. If even one is defective, the consequences can be deadly. It isn’t always easy to spot a defective part, which is partially why attorneys take care to thoroughly investigate whether one may have contributed to the cause of an injurious crash.
As a result of this frustrating and anxiety-inducing reality, it is vitally important to remain up to date on recent recall efforts. Regularly scanning the news tab of your favorite search browser may give you the information you’ll need to act promptly enough to get your vehicle fixed and save your own life or the life of a fellow traveler.