← NHTSA complaints

1999 DODGE RAM 2500 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

crash1 injured · 205961 · 2000-04-07

Vehicle

Make
DODGE
Model
RAM 2500
Year
1999
Manufacturer
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Speed
50 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
1
Fire
No
Crash
Yes
Police report
Yes
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ON A TWO WAY RURAL ROADWAY, A MINI-VAN DRIVING TOWARD ME MADE A LEFT HAND TURN IN FRONT OF ME AT 10-15 MPH (FAILURE TO YIELD). I HIT THE ABOVE MINI-VAN'S FRONT PASSENGER CORNER HEAD ON WITH THE FRONT OF MY TRUCK. AFTER THE IMPACT WITH THE MINI-VAN, MY TRUCK HIT AN ELECTRIC POLE WITH FRONT CENTER OF THE VEHICLE WHERE IT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE MINI-VAN WAS THROWN 25 PACES IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION IN WHICH IT WAS TRAVELING. BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED IN THE MINI-VAN AND DRIVER WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED. MY SEAT BELTS SAVED ME FROM BEING THROWN FROM VEHICLE. MY FOREHEAD HIT THE TOP OF THE STEERING WHEEL. BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I AM STILL TRYING TO OVERCOME HEAD INJURIES THAT RESULTED. PATROL OFFICER AT ACCIDENT SUGGESTED I CONTACT MANUFACTURER ON FAILURE OF AIRBAGS. I DID NOT FEEL CONCEARNED AT THE TIME DUE TO FEELING FORTUNATE THAT INJURIES COULD HAVE BEEN MORE SEVERE. AFTER A WEEK OR SO WENT BY I STILL HAD HEAD INJURIES RESULTING FROM STEERING WHEEL CONTACT AND CONTINUED MEDICAL ATTENTION. ONE WEEK LATER, A SIMILAR DODGE RAM TRUCK'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN A SIMILAR ACCIDENT. I CONTACTED MANUFACTURER AND THEY INSPECTED VEHICLE. THEIR INSPECTION RESULTED IN DETERMINING THE AIR BAG SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED IN THIS INSTANCE. BASED ON WITNESS' OBSERVATIONS OF THE ACCIDENT, I'M AM BEING TOLD TO PURSUE THIS ISSUE. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, IF MY HEAD INJURIES ARE CURED, I'M NOT PLANNING LEGAL ACTIONS AGAINST MANUFACT

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
711201
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown