Do Keyless Ignitions on Cars Pose a Threat?

Typically, innovations in the automotive industry have made us safer, and it goes without saying that traveling by car is much safer than it was just a few decades ago. The advent of features like the three-point seatbelt, airbags, and new technologies like lane assist and automatic emergency braking have undoubtedly saved lives and mitigated injuries.

Keyless Ignitions and Unintended Consequences

Unfortunately, innovations that are supposed to make our lives easier can sometimes have unintended consequences and put us at grave risk of harm. According to a report published by the New York Times, this is exactly what’s happening with the keyless ignitions that you find in many newer vehicles. The report indicates that some drivers who have no longer have to use a turn a key and remove it from the ignition to turn the vehicles off are forgetting to stop their vehicles, causing their homes to fill with poisonous carbon monoxide.

According to research conducted by the Times, more than two dozen people have been killed in incidents involving keyless ignitions carbon monoxide poisoning, and many more have suffered brain damage. While the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) proposed federal regulations that would alert people to the fact that a car was still running or shut engines down automatically, the agency let the plan languish when faced with opposition from the automotive industry.

Individuals Hurt By Vehicle Design May Be Able to Recover Compensation

Fortunately for people who are hurt in accidents that are the result of poor vehicle design, Kansas product liability law may entitle them to compensation for their losses. In addition, people who have lost loved ones in these kinds of accident may also be able to recover compensation by filing a wrongful death lawsuit. In general, there are three ways in which a consumer product may be defective:

• Defective Design – defective design claims allege that a product was inherently dangerous as a result of its design. Typically, defective design claims will apply to every instance of a given consumer product.
• Defective Manufacture – claims based on defective manufacture tend to allege shoddy workmanship or the use of substandard or defective materials. While these kinds of claims also can apply to every instance of a given product, they can also apply to a particular batch or even one particular item.
• Defective Marketing (also known as failure to warn) – defective marketing claims arise when a manufacturer or retailer fails to warn consumers about some non-obvious hazard posed by a consumer product that could be mitigated by providing a warning.

Call Us Today to Schedule a Free Case Evaluation with a Salina Personal Injury Attorney

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident that you believe was the result of the design of your vehicle or one of its features, you should speak to an attorney as soon as you can. To schedule a free case evaluation with a personal injury lawyer in Salina, Kansas, call our office today at 785-825-1505 or contact us online.