An unrepaired safety defect may have resulted in a tragic death in Indianapolis. A 3-year-old girl in a parked car fell into a pond when the gear shift moved out of the park position. The girl’s father, Anthony Burgess, jumped into the frigid water to save his daughter and subsequently died. The 2008 Pontiac G6 that Burgess owned had a circuit problem that caused the gear shift to move without activating the brake. According to records, the recall on this particular car was never performed.
2014 Pontiac Recall
In April, 2014, Pontiac issued a recall for model year 2005-2008 Pontiac G6 vehicles for automatic transmission defects. The manufacturer announced that when a driver stops and puts the vehicle in the “park” position, the transmission may not actually switch to the “park” position. When the vehicle is not secured in the park position, the car could roll away as an occupant leaves the car. This poses a significant danger especially to passengers who are left in the car when it is presumably in “park.”
The Dangers of Unresolved Recalls
In the case of Anthony Burgess, an unrepaired recall likely resulted in a tragic death. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began a public awareness campaign in 2016 to notify car owners and drivers of the importance of heeding safety recalls. A recall indicates that the car either has a safety problem or is in violation of a federal standard. While auto manufacturers are responsible for notifying car owners of defects, many owners ignore recall notices. Statistics show that almost one third of cars on the road are subject to recalls that have not been addressed.
Moreover, the dangers of unrepaired recalls increase with the age of the car. Newer cars are generally under warranty and owners are diligent abut repairing issues. Owners of older cars may lose contact with dealers. In addition, older cars may be sold to new owners who are totally unaware of a recall. In newer cars, recalls are performed on approximately 83 percent of cars. For cars that are 5 to 10 years old, this number decreases to 44 percent. In cars that are over 10 years old, only 29 percent of cars are repaired for safety defects.
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.
