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2001 PONTIAC SUNFIRE — AIR BAGS

crash1 injured · 547617 · 2005-08-03

Vehicle

Make
PONTIAC
Model
SUNFIRE
Year
2001
Manufacturer
General Motors, LLC
Component
AIR BAGS
Miles at failure
26,320
Speed
4 mph

Severity

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

Narrative

2001 PONTIAC - AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT CAUSES TOTAL WRECK JUNE 28, 2005, CA. 1130 - ON A RIGHT-ANGLE TURN AT LESS THAN 5 MPH INTO A NARROW LANE IN A PARKING AREA AT CONROE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER , CONROE, TX, AT ABOUT 1130 JUNE 28, THE LEFT REAR WHEEL OF MY 2001 PONTIAC SUNFIRE WENT UP ONTO A 3-TO-4-INCH-HIGH CONCRETE MEDIAN. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO STEER OFF THE MEDIAN, THE RESULTING SLIGHT DROP CAUSED MY AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. THIS DEPLOYMENT CAUSED BRUISES ON BOTH FOREARMS, BRUISED MY LOWER RIGHT RIBCAGE AND FORCED BOTH HANDS BACK OFF THE WHEEL, PREVENTING ME FROM STEERING THE CAR. FURTHERMORE, THE DEPLOYMENT FORCED MY LEGS AWAY FROM THE FOOT CONTROLS. THE DEPLOYING AIRBAG KNOCKED MY SPECTACLES UP ONTO MY FOREHEAD, THE LEFT TEMPLE CAUSING A SMALL CUT AND BENDING THE SPECTACLES SO THEY COULD NOT BE WORN AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED LATER. AS A RESULT OF THIS AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT I WAS TOTALLY UNABLE TO CONTROL DIRECTION OR SPEED. THE CAR LUNGED AT ABOUT A 30-DEGREE ANGLE TO THE RIGHT FOR A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 12 FEET AND SMASHED INTO A PILLAR, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SUSTAIN SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END, SMASHING THE BUMPER AND THE RADIATOR AND CRACKING THE RIGHT PART OF THE WINDSHIELD. PERSONNEL FROM THE HOSPITAL, THE CONROE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND THE LOCAL EMS WERE ON THE SCENE IMMEDIATELY. THE CONROE POLICE ASSIGNED A CASE NUMBER 05064218 TO THE ACCIDENT. I AM APPALLED TO THINK THAT THIS SAME ACCIDENT WHICH DESTROYED MY VEHICLE AND HURT ME WITHIN A FEW FEET AT EXTREMELY LOW SPEED

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10131370
Machine
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