The Office of Defect Investigation (ODI) at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking into a report that a Toyota Sienna accelerated without explanation.
According to the report,
Safety regulators said that field data “indicates that when a retainer pin is missing from the driver's side center stack/console trim panel, the panel can detach from the console and the accelerator pedal can become entrapped under the trim panel causing unwanted acceleration.”
The ODI is launching this investigation to determine if more vehicles are affected. It is so vital that consumer report such defects and problems to the ODI so investigations such as this may be conducted. Read the story
Baby carriers are a wonderful thing for parents most of the time. However, Beco Baby Butterfly has recalled some oft heir baby carriers due to a failure of the buckles.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Beco Baby Butterfly Carriers
Units: About 2,000
Manufacturer: Beco Baby Carrier Inc., of Newport Beach, Calif.
Hazard: The buckles on the carrier shoulder straps can unexpectedly release tension, causing the strap to slip through, posing a fall hazard to the baby.
Incidents/Injuries: Beco has received eight reports of the carrier straps slipping through the shoulder buckles. No injuries have been reported.
Description: The recalled infant carriers were sold under brand name “Beco Baby Carrier Butterfly.” The carriers have a black label with a green “b” logo on the left side and a butterfly on the right side. The label is sewn on the outside of the carrier. The following carrier styles are included in the recall: Mia, Pony Express, Carnival, Addison, Ethan, Sophia, Cameron, Ava and Joshua.
Sold at: Specialty retail stores nationwide and internet sites from January 2008 through February 2008 for about $140.
Manufactured in: USA and Dominican Republic
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the carriers and contact Beco Baby Carrier to receive instructions for returning the carriers for repair.
Consumer Contact: Consumers should contact Beco Baby Carrier Inc. toll-free at (888) 943-8232/9-GET-BECO between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.becobabycarrier.com
One of the obstacles victims of rollover accidents face is the stereotype that rollovers are inherently dangerous. This isn't usually, and certainly not always, the case. Rollovers tend to be very survivable, especially when compared to a high speed side impact collision or a head on collision. The forces at play are dissipated along several axes in a rollover, whereas in side impact and head on collisions, the forces tend to operate in straight lines and along one axis.
Not to say rollovers aren't deadly. There are approximately 10,000 deaths in the US alone per year due to rollovers. Most of these are single vehicle accidents. Roof crush and occupant ejection are the single biggest factors in these fatalities.
Occupant ejection is minimized by the use of safety belts equipped with pretensioners (these devices were first introduced in 1981). When searching for a new vehicle, especially an SUV or light truck, make sure to ask if its seat belts are equipped with pretensioners as these will decrease the likelihood of occupant ejection in a rollover event.
Roof crush, on the other hand, is not so easily fixed. Maintaining occupant survival space is the first goal of successful engineering, yet too many of today's SUVs do a lousy job of this. Look at this example of a simulated Ford Explorer rollover. They will roll it twice, not unlike what would happen if the vehicle rolled at highway speeds. Make sure you watch the full video. On the first roll, you'll see the passenger side leads, and maintains its survival space, while the driver's side already shows sign of deadly intrusion. On the second roll, you'll see there is no survival space left on the driver's side.
There is no way the driver walks away from this. On the flip, we'll show you another test where a rollover seems hardly violent at all.
The CPSC put out a safety alert on the harmful results form ingesting magnets. Through our child safety litigation work, we have learned of the many hazards of magnetic toys. Magnets, not just those found in toys, can be a real danger. Read the safety alert here.
Brooks Pierce LLP has launched the NC Business Litigation Report, a blog by Mack Sperling, Esq. It appears to be a daily grind of NC Business Court decisions. Highly recommended and worth the bookmark.
Interesting story posted on a case in the business court with the decision coming down last month. You can find it here.
The part I find particularly compelling is the court's description of "mediating in good faith." Failing to provide accurate information about the policy limits in a mediation, according to the Court in Harco, would mean "not mediating in good faith." The impact of that, while not known at present, could be far-reaching.
There are several other decisions reported in the blog already that are very interesting and well documented. Congrats to Mack and Brooks Pierce on the new blog!
Hardison Wood, a North Carolina crashworthiness attorney, focuses his representation on child safety matters. He also fights for his clients in the fields of professional malpractice, police and prison misconduct and consumer protection. Hardison’s prior work experiences help set him...More...
