Seat Belt Failure? Contact a Car Wreck Lawyer in Baton Rouge

In 1986, the first Louisiana seat belt law went into effect, requiring passengers in automobiles to wear seat belts. However, this law was passed as a “secondary enforcement law” meaning that law enforcement officers were not allowed to pull someone over, exclusively, for a seat belt violation. Around a decade later, that same law was amended and turned into a “primary enforcement law”. This change allowed law enforcement officers to pull drivers over for the sole reason of not wearing a seat belt. The current law in Louisiana now states that every passenger in a motor vehicle is required to wear a safety restraint, regardless of sitting position.

Seat Belts and Auto Accidents

Sadly, failure to use seat belts and defective manufactured seat belts are a leading cause of fatalities in car accidents and truck accidents across Louisiana. Often, the failure to use a seat belt is often the difference between surviving a dangerous car accident and losing your life to one – especially in larger auto accidents involving heavy motor vehicles such as semi-trucks, 18 wheelers, and buses.

Sometimes it is difficult to discern who is at fault in auto accidents, but when it comes to failed seat belts, there are some seat belt defects we want you to look out for:

• False Latching
  • Latching the metal plate into the buckle typically locks the passenger in the seat, securely. Unfortunately, the latching system is sometimes defective which means the seatbelt can become loose at any sudden movement – especially in a severe car crash.
• Retractor Failure
  • The retractor is the gear inside the seatbelt that “feeds” the belt out, and it is designed to lock during an accident. Sometimes, these retractors are built with defects and do not lock upon impact – causing potential injuries and fatalities.
• Weak seat belt Webbing
  • The “webbing” is the polyester strap that goes across the individual. This material is known to be incredibly secure, but there have been instances where the webbing breaks and tears upon impact – if the webbing of your seatbelt breaks during a car accident, it could be because of defective design or manufacturing.
• Defective Design
  • “Defective Design” refers to all of the above malfunctions, in addition to any other defects not explicitly mentioned. In this context, these defects can refer to any mechanism in the seat belt or defects in the full-system of the vehicles.

A car wreck lawyer from Murphy Law Firm is committed to helping you navigate life after a terrible car accident or truck accident. Our knowledgeable team understands that life becomes extremely overwhelming after a car accident injury and we want to assist you in regaining a sense of normalcy. Our car wreck lawyers have 150+ years of combined experience helping our clients receive fair compensation to pay medical bills, get necessary treatment, and have the ability to take off work to heal properly.

Seat belts, Buses, and Large Truck Accidents

Did you know that the Louisiana Senate killed a seat belt bill in 2021 called HB 130, which would have required new school buses to be manufactured with seat belts for its student passengers?

7 members of the Louisiana Senate voted for our children to have seat belts installed on their school buses and 30 members did not think it was necessary, despite the significant data saying otherwise.

If you live in the Baton Rouge area, there are certain roads and high-risk areas we want drivers to be aware of:

• Nicholson Drive
• O’Neal Lane from Harrell’s Ferry Road & I-12
• Staring Lane from Highland Road to Perkins Road
• Highland Road from Perkins Road to Airline Highway
• Burbank Drive from Lee Drive to Bluebonnet Drive

In addition to driving with extra caution through these roads, please understand that in 2019, 51% of passengers in Louisiana were killed in accidents while not wearing seat belts – which means you need to always wear a seat belt when driving.

How a Car Wreck Lawyer from Murphy Law Firm Can Help

If you or a loved one suffered injuries or loss from an auto accident and believe the cause was a defective seat belt, then it is crucial that you contact a truck accident attorney in Baton Rouge from Murphy Law Firm to pursue a product liability claim.

Our team will guide you through a product liability claim, car accident lawsuit, truck accident lawsuit, and any other personal injury claim that is fit for your circumstance so you can get the medical help and treatment you need. You should not have to pay for the negligence of a defective product or the carelessness of another driver – please give us a call today or fill out our quick contact form online.