EXCESSIVE SHOULDER BELT SLACK DUE TO DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT WINDOW SHADE DEVICE / COMFORT FEATURE OR RETRACTOR
Excessive lap or shoulder belt slack can seriously injure or kill the occupant in a frontal collision. Good Engineering practices teach that a safety belt should be so positioned, that it allows the body to move forward and ride down the deceleration of the impact and to protect the occupant from moving forward into the passenger compartment where he increases his chances of striking an unfriendly object or structure, defeating the purpose of the restraint system.
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Snug Belt |
2 Inches Slack |
Full Slack |
Seat belt slack in the system can be caused by the movement of the occupants immediately before impact, slack from a device made to purposely introduce slack for ones comfort (window shade or comfort feature), and by plastic guide or loops (comfort clips) installed to the tops of seat backs. In a collision any slack can be too much, but in the case of the flimsy plastic webbing guides, the slack is suddenly increased when they break free during an impact. Window shade seat belt retractors were first used in American automobiles in the mid-1970’s. Window shade retractors operate like the mechanism on a window shade.
A passenger can introduce slack in a belt that has this device by pulling gently on the belt or by moving forward slowly,such as reaching for the radio or toward the glove box. Belted occupants can also intentionally introduce slack by pulling slowly on the belt away from the chest. It also can be removed by a quick pulling down of the belt. In 1979 NHTSA proposed an outright ban on window shade retractors and other slack-inducing devices. US Automakers fought a final ruling by NHTSA and manufacturers agreed to voluntarily limit the amount of slack in their belt systems and required a warning to be included with all new equipped vehicles. In 1979 researchers told the Twenty-Third Stapp Car Crash Conference that the “window blind or window shade” type retractor used by Chrysler allowed “excessive slack” and contributed to the severity of the injuries to a fully restrained driver. Their conclusion was the window shade device is unsatisfactory and urged it to be replaced.
In 1985 NHTSA found in a survey of 18 new cars and light trucks with window shade devices, that 16 of the 18 had between 3 to 5 inches of excessive slack in the upper torso restraint. Window shade retractors were never used by any European or Asian Automakers. However, most American manufacturers had these devices as standard equipment from the late 1970’s through the late 1980’s. The introduction of any appreciable slack is disastrous to the protective capacity of stiff systems by producing high peak acceleration with a high rate of onset. Researchers have concluded many people are needlessly killed or maimed as a direct result of slack. Any serious injury to a properly belted occupant may be the result of slack introduced into the system, thereby reducing the life safety capacity of the system and only through a complete investigation, can the true cause of the injury be concluded.
SHOULDER BELT SLACK INJURIES & DEATHS - TALK TO AN ATTORNEY
 If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or a loved one has died as a result of excessive slack in a seat belt or a seat belt retractor that failed to hold or retract, then you may have a legal action against the seat belt manufacturer and/or the automobile manufacturer of the vehicle. Willis Law Firm is very familiar with this problem and has previously battled with many of the auto and seat belt manufacturers concerning these defective seat belts and other design issues. Talk to a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Call Toll Free 1-800-883-9858 or fill out this Free Seat Belt Lawsuit Evaluation Form
PLEASE NOTE: The statements and information provided on this web site are for the informational purposes only. This law firm is not affiliated in any way with any trademark owner. The use of any trademarks on this site is for product identification and information purposes only. This webpage is provided to you to assist in information about seat belt injuries, seatbelt deaths, seat belt defects, rear seat or center seat lap only belt injury, lawsuits, seat belt buckle failure, buckle opening, NHTSA recall, torn webbing, seat belt recalls, seatbelt retractors, plastic buckle housing defects, problems with the tall end release buttons on the Generation 3 or Gen 3 seat belt buckle button on some Chrysler vehicles, lap belt injury, excessive slack in belt webbing, automatic belt injuries,and other seat belt defects and failures.This site is not intended to provide legal advice to the reader and NO attorney-client relationship shall be deemed to arise from the receipt this page and/or its associated pages or any oral or e-mail communication to or from with the Willis Law Firm. There will be NO lawsuits filed, claims made, letters or phone calls made for a prospective client, until that person is represented by the firm. An attorney client relationship only arises after the attorney and client have signed a written attorney client contract.
Mr. Willis is licensed attorney in New York and Texas. He is a Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Lawyer, certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Read more about Board Certification, Click Here. Principle office is Houston, Texas.
Mr. Willis has represented clients in personal injury, auto accident, seat belt defects, suv rollover, van & truck rollovers and other product liability and negligence cases from across the United States, including clients from Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin & West Virginia.
Further, any statement or reference to past personal injury, products liability or other lawsuits, settlements or verdicts should NOT be relied upon in one's own case or in your decision on which law firm to hire. All client's cases, facts, injuries, damages, venues and lawsuits are different and there is NO way to predict the outcome of a particular case, verdict of a jury or judge or the strength of a case before a judge, jury or the appellate court system. The client is responsible for all of their own medical expenses. All cases are handled on a contingent fee basis. NO attorneys fees or case costs charged to client, unless a recovery is made for the client. Often in very serious and catastrophic injury and death cases Mr. Willis may associate with another products liability attorney as co-counsel and in other matters, the case may be referred. In cases where a legal matter is referred, Mr. Willis will continue to maintain joint responsibility with the handling attorney or lead counsel and actively monitor the progress and development of the case. Due to his 22+ years of experience in personal injury and products liability cases, Mr. Willis will often continue to assist in working with the hired experts and engineers and in research of the defective product or other related legal matters in the case.
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