Fires in Auto Accidents Result in Serious Bodily Injuries and Property Damage
Fires in auto accidents can cause serious property damage and bodily injury. Fuel-fed fires are the main type of fires in auto accidents. It is estimated that approximately 550 to 1000 people are killed as a result of fires in auto accidents every year in the United States. Fires in auto accidents occur in 0.1 percent of all traffic accidents annually but are the cause of fatality in three percent of all traffic accidents. Fires in auto accidents generally begin when fuel from the vehicle contacts an ignition source. In many cases fires in auto accidents are the result of a defective auto part.
Defective fuel systems are one of the major causes of fires in auto accidents. There are many types of fuel system defects that can contribute to fires in auto accidents. These defects can be inherent to the design or the manufacturing of a fuel system or relate to the fuel tank’s placement in a vehicle. Fires in auto accidents can be the result of tank design defects when a tank is not properly protected or defective welds are used. If a tank is placed too close to another auto part which can puncture the tank in a collision, it can cause fires in auto accidents.
Fuel lines that allow fuel to escape are also the cause of fires in auto accidents. Improper construction or placement of fuel lines can cause fuel leaks which can increase the risk of fires in auto accidents. Fuel lines that continue to circulate fuel after a collision, such as electric fuel lines, are also a major cause of fires in auto accidents.
There are currently no federal safety standards that regulate the design and production of fuel systems in order to reduce the risk of fires in auto accidents. It is estimated that changes to fuel system design and production would cost an average of two to three dollars per vehicle to significantly reduce or eliminate the risk of fires in auto accidents.
There are several things that auto manufacturers can do to reduce the risk of fires in auto accidents. Providing adequate protection to fuel systems, installing anti-siphoning devices, and correct placement of the fuel tank reduces the risk of fires in auto accidents. A fuel safe bladder that lines the fuel tank and fire panels can significantly increase the integrity of the fuel system.
In 2002, the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen reported that at least twelve police officers have been killed and another nine injured as a result of fires in auto accidents. The automobiles these officers had been driving were found to have dangerously placed fuel tanks which ruptured or leaked, starting fires in auto accidents. These injuries and deaths could have been easily prevented if auto manufactures would have made small adjustments in fuel tank design.
Many fires in auto accidents are highly preventable occurrences which end up causing major damage and destruction to the property and people involved. When fires in auto accidents are the result of vehicle defectiveness, victims have the legal right to seek compensation for their losses through a personal injury lawsuit.