It seems that even government owned cars may not be in full compliance with safety recalls in the United States. An investigation has revealed safety concerns related to police cars used in various police departments in Southwest Florida. Squad cars belonging to the Lee County’s Sheriff Office, for example, had 99 open recalls for its vehicles. The types of recalls and the car brands affected are varied, but this report indicates that more must be done to ensure that cars on the road, including government-issued vehicles, are regularly monitored for open recalls and serviced accordingly.
A number of different automakers supplied vehicles to the police departments that were featured in the investigation. One of the vehicles subject to the recall was the Dodge Charger which was recalled by Chrysler for failed alternators. If an alternator is not repaired, it could overheat and catch on fire. GM Chevy Tahoes were also among the police cars that were subject to a recall due to corrosion of the cooling fan which could cause an electrical short circuit. A number of other police vehicles had outstanding recalls for defective airbag inflators. In a collision, those defective airbags could send shrapnel in the direction of the driver and result in serious injury or death. The police departments responded that they are committed to repairing these open recalls and implementing a better system for addressing safety recalls in the future.
Police cars have been in the news recently after Ford Motor Co issued a number of technical service bulletins for its 2017 Ford Police Interceptor utility cars in the United States. The carmaker later announced that it would repair police versions of its Ford Explorer SUVs to address potential carbon monoxide leaks that have been linked to crashes and subsequent injuries. Ford intends to pay to repair all Police Interceptor Explorer SUVs that were outfitted for police equipment and may contain spaces in the underbody of the vehicle that allows exhaust to enter the cabin. Citing concern for officer’s safety, the police department in the city of Austin, Texas had previously announced that it would remove its entire fleet of Ford Explorer SUVs from operation. The NHTSA stated that it received over 2,700 complaints related to exhaust odors in the cabin and carbon monoxide inhalation. The agency also revealed that 41 injuries among police and civilian vehicles occurred in 2011-2017 model year Ford Explorer SUVs.
If you or a member of your family suffered injury or death as a result of negligence or a defective automobile, contact the attorneys Alexander Law Group, LLP. Our exceptional personal injury lawyers will answer your questions and get you the maximum compensation that is possible. Call 888.777.1776 or contact us online.
