NHTSA Complaint #10031043 — 1995 HONDA DEL SOL

ON MAY 24, 2003, I WAS DRIVING ALONG ON INTERSTATE 77 IN WEST VIRGINIA ON A SUNNY DAY IN MY 1995 HONDA DEL SOL WITH THE TOP OFF WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON AND OBEYING THE SPEED LIMIT. WITHIN SECONDS, SOMETHING HAPPENED TO. THE CAR SWERVED ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC INTO THE BIRM AND BACK ACROSS THOSE LANES. THE LAST THING I REMEMBER IS SEEING IS THE HILLSIDE COMING AT ME. I CAN'T BE SURE WHAT HAPPENED, BUT IT FELT LIKE THE CRUISE CONTROL SPED UP THE CAR WHEN THE TIRE BLEW. I AWOKE IN THE HOSPITAL ABOUT TWO AND ONE HALF HOURS LATER. NOT ONLY HAD I BEEN UNCONSCIENTIOUS, I HAD AMNESIA. THEY HAD APPARENTLY FOUND ME ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SPEAKING TO A PASSERBY. I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMUBLENCE. SOMEONE SAID THAT THE HORRIBLE PAIN IN MY CHEST WAS BECAUSE I HAD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY CHEST. THAT, ALONG WITH THE LACERATION IN THE TOP-LEFT SIDE OF THE BACK OF MY HEAD WERE EVIDENCE THAT MY SEAT BELT HAD NOT LOCKED. THE AIR BAG FAILED TO INFLATE. I CONTACTED HONDA'S CUSTIOMER SERVICE AND COOPERATED FULLY WITH HONDA'S PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR. WHEN I CONTACTED HONDA FOR THE RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION, THEY REFUSED TO SPEAK TO ME. THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD ONLY SPEAK TO MY ATTORNEY OR MY INSURANCE COMPANY. WHEN MY INSURANCE COMPANY CALLED, THEY REFUSED TO TALK TO THEM. WHEN I CALLED THEM BACK, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEIR COMPANY DIDN'T INVESTIGATE CRASHES. I TOLD THEM THAT THE COMPANY HAD SENT A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR. LATER, SHE CALLED ME BACK AND TOLD ME THAT I COULD CONTACT THE PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR AND HE WOULD ANSWER MY QUESTIONS. THE P.I. TOLD ME THAT HONDA'S POSITION WAS THAT THE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY BECAUSE THE CAR DID NOT HIT HEAD ON. WHEN I ASKED HIM WHERE EXACTLY IT WOULD HAVE HAD TO BEEN HIT TO INFLATE, HE SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW. WHEN IASKED HIM TO GET THE INFORMATION FOR ME, HE SAID HE COULDN'T. WHEN I ASKED FOR A COPY OF HIS REPORT, HE REFUSED.