• 12
  • January
    2012

A Sacramento jury recently found Ford Motor Co. liable for $73 million in damages after an accident caused by defective tires killed two individuals and injured two others.

The plaintiffs filed a lawsuit against Ford in 2006 charging that the auto company failed to alert their dealers about Goodyear's 2002 notification that their tires may be defective and were able to be replaced.

Before the jury found Ford liable for damages, the plaintiffs' lawyers turned down a settlement offer from Ford. The plaintiffs wanted public accountability for Ford's conduct and failure to notify consumers that their vehicles were equipped with defective tires subject to a recall.

The jury voted 10-2 that Ford was negligent and thus was liable for the 2004 California crash. The church's 15-passenger Econoline van began to shake as a result of a tire tread separation. The van was equipped with tires that Goodyear had previously notified Ford were defective. The driver tried to turn the van and it rolled over four times.

The jury's verdict is believed to be the biggest in Sacramento history and sets a standard for holding auto manufacturers accountable for their role in vehicle safety and notifying the public about defective auto parts.

Dangers of Defective Parts & Rollovers

This accident demonstrates that defective tires can cause a rollover accident. Rollovers often occur when a driver loses control of the vehicle and tends to slide sideways, causing the vehicle to flip onto its side or roof. When a tire tread separates, it causes the vehicle to spin and may cause drivers to overcorrect, causing it to rollover. Reports also show that many rollover accidents lead to passengers being partially or completely ejected from the vehicle, causing serious or fatal injuries.

This accident and lawsuit highlight the dangers of defective tires and why it is important to hold manufacturers accountable for defective parts. Vehicle manufacturers can protect against the dangers of rollovers by making sure their tires function properly and are not defective.

In addition, roof strength and other vehicle safety standards should be followed to increase passenger safety. If a vehicle manufacturer has defective parts, they should notify the public of any defects and if any parts or vehicles are available to be replaced or recalled.