April 6, 2010
Passenger Van Safety
Fifteen- and twelve-passenger vans and other large vans are widely used by churches and community organizations. Colleges use them to drive sports teams to games. Over 500,000 are in use in the United States.
The vans include certain models of the Ford Econoline or E-Series, such as the Ford E350 and Club Wagon E350, the Dodge Ram Wagon B350 and Ram Van/Wagon B3500, the Chevrolet Express 3500 and the GMC Savana 3500 and Rally/Vandura G3500. Ford builds and sells most 15 passenger vans in the U.S. Unfortunately, these vans are involved in many crashes and injuries are very serious.
In these types of accident cases, it has been alleged that the vans have design defects and safety omissions including that the vans are:
1.Difficult to handle and prone to over-steering and loss of control;
2.Unstable when loaded, leading to deadly rollover crashes; and
3.Not crashworthy, resulting in deaths that should otherwise have been easily survivable.
Repeated 15- and 12-Passenger Van Accidents
According to government statistics, over 1,200 fatal crashes have occurred involving the large, heavy vans since 1990. The problem, according to auto safety experts, is the design, the weight and balance of the van. On most models, the car manufacturers have used the same wheel base. But you can see on the 15-passenger model, the back end has been extended. That means when it’s fully loaded, there’s a seat with four passengers behind the rear axle. That tends to make the back end heavy, so that when there’s a sudden swerve, the rear end swings out. The second, critical issue is that the van is top heavy. It has what engineers call a high center of gravity. The more people on board, the more top heavy it becomes, therefore creating an environment for accidents.
If you have been injured in a similiar situation and need to consult with Philip DeBerard, Personal Injury Attorney, please call immediately
October 14, 2009
Ford recall hits 4.5 million more vehicles on fire hazard – Oct. 13, 2009:
“Ford recall hits 4.5 million cars. Automaker issues largest single recall ever due to a faulty cruise control switch that could lead to a fire.”
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Ford issued the largest single recall in its history Tuesday as drivers of an additional 4.5 million vehicles were alerted about a fire hazard from a faulty switch.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said this was the eighth recall, involving a total of 16 million Ford Motor (F, Fortune 500) vehicles, concerning the cruise control deactivation switch manufactured by Texas Instruments (TXN, Fortune 500).
The faulty switch can leak hydraulic fluid, overheat, smoke and then burn, and risks causing a fire even when the ignition is turned off, parked and unattended, the NHTSA said.
The risk is elevated for 1.1 million Windstars that were subject to a government investigation, said Ford spokesman Wes Sherwood.
“We determined with the government that there is a low risk of fires for those vehicles,” Sherwood said. “The other 3.4 million vehicles are the remaining vehicles that have the Texas Instrument switch, so we’re recalling them to reassure customers and prevent future recalls.”
Sherwood added that Ford has always gone beyond recalling only the cars that present a risk.
While the company does not discuss its current suppliers, Sherwood said that Ford vehicles did not use the Texas Instrument switch in post-2003 models.
NHTSA said Ford drivers should look for warnings of possible imminent fires, including malfunctioning cruise control systems and brake lights and antilock braking system and brake light warnings on the dashboard. The safety agency also said difficulty in getting the vehicle out of the park mode should be treated as a warning.
“I urge customers to pay attention to this warning and bring the affected models in to have them repaired as soon as possible,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, in a statement
0:00 /1:06Ford to build new plant in China
Ford is notifying customers and instructing them to take vehicles to dealers for a complimentary installation of a fused wiring harness that will eliminate the risk of fires, the NHTSA said.
The safety recall is expected to begin around Oct. 26. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673 or NTHSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or visit http://www.safercar.gov.
Tuesday’s recall includes the following Ford models: 1995-2003 Windstars, 2000-2003 Excursion diesels, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 F-Super Duty diesels, 1992-2003 Econolines, 1995-2002 Explorers and Mercury Mountaineers, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 Rangers and 1994 F35 motorhomes.
August 6, 2009
DUI Penalties in Florida
Florida Law requires (section 316.193 of the Florida Statutes) requires that interlock devices be installed on vehicles of drivers that are convicted of a DUI.
Ignition Interlock Program
When you are convicted of a DUI in Florida you lose your license. The length of time you lose your license depends on your individual case. When you are eligible to get your license reinstated you may be required to have an ignition interlock device installed in your car.
DUI Conviction / Ignition Interlock Requirement
- First DUI Conviction / If court ordered
- First Conviction if 0.20 or minor in car / up to 6 months
- Second Conviction / At least 1 year
- Second Conviction if 0.20 or minor in car / At least 2 years
- Third Conviction / At least 2 years
In addition to the inconvenience of the Interlock device there are costs for installation and monthly calibration. The vehicle must be taken to a calibration facility monthly. Monthly appointments are available by appointment only and take approximately 45 minutes.
Costs to the Defendant
- $70 for installation
- $67.50 for monthly monitoring and calibration
- $100 refundable deposit
If you cannot afford the installation of the interlock device the court may order that a portion of your fine be allocated to cover the costs of installation.
How the Ignition Interlock Works
Here is a summary of a typical scenario with the Interlock Device.
1. Your breathe into the device to start the car
2. Five minutes later the device beeps and you have to breathe again
3. About every 30 minutes the Interlock beeps and you must breathe into it.
Each time you breathe into the Ignition Interlock device the data is recorded and transmitted to the Florida DMV, reports are available on the Internet.
