Toyota’s latest ad campaign isn’t filled with pictures of fast cars on highways or clever jingles. Instead, they’ve focused their campaign on apologizing for the defects in the latest model of the Prius. First, reports came in on the sticky gas pedal, which is potentially responsible for some dismal fatal car accident statistics, including 19 car crash deaths. Read also: What people can do after car accidents.
Now, it seems that the brakes in the Prius are also defective. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the defective brakes caused, “a momentary loss of braking capability while traveling over uneven road surfaces, bumps, or potholes.” Toyota has stated that the defect is a result of an error in software programming. Read also: St. Louis car accident injuries and seat belts.
Though Toyota is now taking responsibility for the defect, why did it happen in the first place? What many people don’t know about the car companies is that, often, if there is a defect in the car, the company calculates how much it may cost to fix versus the anticipated lawsuits. If the amount they would have to pay out in law suits is less than the risk, they often won’t fix the defect. Scary, huh?
Now, on top of the everyday worries of driving, we must worry about the safety of the actual cars we buy. Plus, even thought Toyota has recalled the brakes and gas pedals, many St. Louis auto defect lawyers are wondering how the company will treat those already injured from the defects. How difficult will it be to get help with medical bills if you’ve already been in an accident in the Prius? How hard will negotiations be for the average driver?
The best course of action to take if you’ve been involved in an accident that could be the result of a defect is to contact a experienced St. Louis car accident or accident claim attorney immediately. The longer that you wait, the harder that it could be to avoid the common mistakes that people make that ruin their claim.