Danger of seat belt in Corolla 2009

[furex zajod]

Car model : Corolla 2009 easytronic high line

One month ago I have got into a bad car crash, the car crashed into a pole and flipped over the road. I was then saved and moved to the hospital where I found out that I had an internal bleeding caused by seat belt squeeze on my belly which actually destroyed parts of my internal organs and I had to do a difficult surgery. However I did not have any broken bones or external injuries.

In the beginning I did not research the problem until I found this article http://www.anapolschwartz.com/practices/seat-belt-failure/index.asp

I am still not sure if my case is typical to the description on this article or if there are specific laws in USA that is not available in other countries, Please help me with any legal reference or contact that might help in my case.

[DJKOR]

I don't want to be a troll and I'm partially sorry for your suffering, but this is like the whole 'suing McDonalds' thing all over again.

If you could turn back time and have that accident without your seatbelt, which option would you choose? Sometimes we should just be thankful.

[01 VEY]

I don't want to be a troll and I'm partially sorry for your suffering, but this is like the whole 'suing McDonalds' thing all over again.

If you could turn back time and have that accident without your seatbelt, which option would you choose? Sometimes we should just be thankful.

Well stated Daryl

Another thing that most people fail to do is check that the seat belt is correctly adjusted and is sitting as low on your abdomen as is possible.

The ideal placement is across the hip bones nearly touching your legs. If it is across your belly the soft nature of the tissue allows additional internal injuries.

Keep it as low as possible even though this may not be the most comfortable until you get accustomed to it.

[juvenile]

It also helps to sit upright,I hate seeing passengers reclined all the way back on the freeway, years ago a woman in the passenger seat laying down with seatbelt on was involved in a smash, belt peeled her open,sorry,gruesome I know. Also hate feet on the dash, goodbye hips...

Sorry to hear Waleed but yours sounds like a high speed accident,I think your lucky..

[DJKOR]

Another thing that most people fail to do is check that the seat belt is correctly adjusted and is sitting as low on your abdomen as is possible.

The ideal placement is across the hip bones nearly touching your legs. If it is across your belly the soft nature of the tissue allows additional internal injuries.

Keep it as low as possible even though this may not be the most comfortable until you get accustomed to it.

It also helps to sit upright,I hate seeing passengers reclined all the way back on the freeway, years ago a woman in the passenger seat laying down with seatbelt on was involved in a smash, belt peeled her open,sorry,gruesome I know.

And it's potential hazards like these as to why car manufacturers clearly state warnings in the manual. The following are taken directly out of a manual for a Toyota Aurion, however would be more or less the same as what you would find on other cars:

That site that you linked mentions about defective webbing etc. In counter argument to that, the manual evens contain warnings and recommendations to check the condition of the seatbelts periodically to ensure there is no damage to them.

[johnnieboi]

I believe Toyota has designed the corolla to be a very safe vehicle particularly in accidents. And as the years go on, safety only becomes more prioritised and paramount in their future designs. I dont believe one accident can justify putting down the whole design/reputation of their seatbelts. This is the first i've heard of it.

I hope you recover well from your accident though and sorry to hear this happen to you. :(

[trentmeyer23]

Car model : Corolla 2009 easytronic high line

One month ago I have got into a bad car crash, the car crashed into a pole and flipped over the road. I was then saved and moved to the hospital where I found out that I had an internal bleeding caused by seat belt squeeze on my belly which actually destroyed parts of my internal organs and I had to do a difficult surgery. However I did not have any broken bones or external injuries.

In the beginning I did not research the problem until I found this article http://www.anapolsch...ilure/index.asp

I am still not sure if my case is typical to the description on this article or if there are specific laws in USA that is not available in other countries, Please help me with any legal reference or contact that might help in my case.

Are you alive? Yes. Was it the seatbelts fault you crashed? No. Toyota did their job, they saved your life, leave it be.

Edited May 10, 2011 by trentmeyer23

[Andrew357]

This thread is ridiculous.

[furex zajod]

Thank you guys! sure I am thankful for being alive and the fact that 3 air bags opened to save my body makes me grateful. But it's worth mentioning how unsafe the seat belts could be specially little people take care of the way they put on the seat belts. I am just trying to find other experiences in such crashes and troubles with the seat belts, perhaps that could help designers to find out safer seat belts instead of just putting a warning on the manual.

[Hikaru Sorano]

I was in a terrible car crash in 1997 in a veeery old car, the ones that have static seat belts, not inertial.

That was a Renault 12 1978, all iron, all metal, no airbags, no nothing. A couple of weeks after, I was still in pain due to the impact bruises with that seat belt. And I survived because of that! Otherwise I would have gone across the windshield.

So, even that seatbelt was safer than nothing and I'm grateful for that.

Now, what happened to you could have happened in any other brand. Think of this, if seatbelts are dangerous, pregnant women wouldn't get allowed to be in a car. And they are perfectly safe, always using it correctly.

Mate, it's unfortunate what happened to you, but you're alive and that's what counts.

See yaa

AB

Edited May 10, 2011 by Hikaru Sorano