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2015 POLARIS SLINGSHOT — SEAT BELTS

1 fatalcrash1 injured · 1374507 · 2017-04-30

Vehicle

Make
POLARIS
Model
SLINGSHOT
Year
2015
Manufacturer
Polaris Industries Inc.
Component
SEAT BELTS

Severity

Deaths
1
Injured
1
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
Yes
Medical attention
Yes
Vehicle towed
Yes

Narrative

AUGUST 13, 2016, MY BROTHER WAS KILLED WHILE OPERATING HIS 2015 POLARIS SLINGSHOT, WHEN HE COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. HE WAS WEARING HIS SEAT BELT, HELMET AND OPERATING WITHIN LEGAL SPEED LIMITS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. A SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED ON NOVEMBER 29, 2016. PRESENT WERE POLARIS ENGINEERS, THEIR ATTORNEYS, OUR FAMILY'S HIRED ENGINEER AND ATTORNEY. UPON DIS-ASSEMBLY, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SLINGSHOT'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR HAD EXPLODED. (SEE PHOTOS). THIS FAILURE ALLOWED THE INTERNAL PARTS OF THE RETRACTOR TO BE RIPPED FROM THEIR MOUNTS AND ALLOWED THE SEAT BELT TO RELEASE. IN MY OPINION THIS CAUSED MY BROTHER TO RECEIVE HIS FATAL INJURY, A SEVERED SPINAL CORD WHEN HE WAS PARTIALLY EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE. BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE OF THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY EQUIPMENT, OUR FAMILY WAS CERTAIN THAT POLARIS WOULD VOLUNTARILY RECALL ALL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THIS OBVIOUSLY FLAWED SAFETY DEVICE IN AN ATTEMPT TO SPARE OTHER FAMILIES THE HEART BREAK OUR FAMILY HAS SUFFERED. OBVIOUSLY WITH NO RECALL ISSUED TO DATE, WE WERE INCORRECT IN THIS ASSUMPTION. I THEREFORE FORMALLY ASK THAT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION FORMALLY INVESTIGATE THIS SERIOUS SAFETY EQUIPMENT FAILURE IN AN EFFORT TO SAVE OTHER LIVES.

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10981465
Machine
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