NHTSA Complaint #10107882 — 1997 BUICK LESABRE

I WAS REAR ENDED WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND THEN PUSHED INTO THE CAR STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME AND TRANSPORTED TO EMERGENCY ROOM. THE SAFETY BELT ON MY 1997 BUICK LESABRE LTD DID NOT HOLD ME BACK DURING THE COLLISION AND I WAS THROWN FACE FIRST INTO MY STEERING WHEEL. THIS RESULTED IN A SEVERELY BROKEN NOSE, SEVERE FACIAL CONTUSIONS AND BRUISES. I AM TOLD BY BUICK DEALER REPAIR PERSONNEL THAT A BUICK LESABRE MUST BE TRAVELING AT 25 MPH IN ORDER FOR SEAT BELTS TO LOCK AND HOLD THE DRIVER BACK. THE SEAT BELTS ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY CAR CAN BE PULLED OUT AND ALMOST REACH THE WINDSHIELD WHILE THE CAR IS STOPPED AND WHILE DRIVING IT. I HAVE ALSO DISCUSSED THE ACCIDENT WITH SEVERAL PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN SIMILAR ACCIDENTS IN DIFFERENT MAKE CARS. THEY STATED THAT THEIR SEAT BELTS DID HOLD THEM BACK AND THAT THEY DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THE SEAT BELT ON MY 1997 BUICK IS DEFECTIVE AND ALLOWED ME TO RECEIVE SEVERE FACIAL INJURIES. I BELIEVE THE SEAT BELTS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND PROPERLY REINSTALLED SO THAT THEY WILL WORK IN AN ACCIDENT SUCH AS MINE. THE CAR HAS BEEN REPAIRED BUT I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. I HAVE SEARCHED THROUGH THE COMPLAINTS SENT TO YOUR ORGANIZATION AND NOTICED THAT AN ALMOST EXACT ACCIDENT HAPPENED TO A 1997 BUICK LESABRE LTD IN 1998. THE PERSON INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT WROTE TO YOU COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SEAT BELTS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND ALLOWING THE PERSON TO SUSTAIN MANY INJURIES. WHEN WILL THE NHTSA NOTICE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS AUTO SAFETY BELT AND ORDER A RECALL SO THAT INJURIES SUCH AS MINE AND THE PERSONS IN 1998 DO NOT CONTINUE TO OCCUR? *NM