Last month, we covered what we think are the safest vehicles to own in 2016. While we won’t go so far as to call out the makers of the other end of the spectrum, we thought it would be interesting to delve into history’s not-so-safe vehicles.
While most people know me as Georgia’s go-to worker’s compensation lawyer, I also represent accident victims from all over the state, too. If you happen to find yourself the sufferer of a car crash that wasn’t your fault, give me a call.
With that, let’s go over the most dangerous cars ever made:
Audi 5000
There’s a reason why the saying I’m Audi 5000—which denotes leaving a place quickly—exists. Between 1983 and 1987, Audi 5000s were notorious for their “unintended acceleration.” There were a number of cases in which folks who were idling with their feet pressed against the brakes experienced sudden, uncontrollable jolts forward. The bizarre thing is, it was concluded that there wasn’t a mechanical malfunction in the end, but rather, all of those people had actually unintentionally hit the accelerator. But Audi was still partially to blame, because the pedals were placed abnormally close together, causing confusion.
Chevrolet Corvair
The Corvair was a model produced by Chevrolet between 1960 and 1969, and came in a variety of styles, including coupe, sedan, convertible and station wagon. While it was a sleek looking vehicle, its unusual construction caused issues pertaining to handling. Namely, the rear-mounted engine was not something that American consumers were used to, and thus, had difficulty with the car’s tendency to understeer (which is what happens when the car turns more sharply than anticipated, causing spinouts in many cases). The first model also did not have an anti-roll bar, making the situation even worse. All in all, the 1960 Corvair caused a lot of accidents.
DeLorean DMC-12
You’ve undoubtedly heard of the DMC-12, DeLorean’s only model manufactured. But beyond its Hollywood fame and futuristic look, the DMC-12, which was produced between 1981-83, was relatively dangerous. As it turns out, the aesthetic factors that make DeLoreans so iconic are also what make them dangerous. For starters, that stainless steel body mixed with a fiberglass frame performed terribly in crash tests, and the gull-wing doors trapped people inside when it would roll over.
Of course, these aren’t the only three unsuccessfully dangerous cars that mankind has managed to conjure up, but they’re a good start. My advice: Don’t go down to the junkyard and purchase any of these. And, if you need a good accident or worker’s comp lawyer in Atlanta, give me a call, and I’ll be glad to schedule a complimentary consultation. Safe travels!
The post History’s Dangerous Cars appeared first on The Law Offices of Darwin F. Johnson.