NHTSA Complaint #10144893 — 2003 DODGE RAM QUAD CAB

ON 7-16-03 I WAS A RESTRAINED PASSENGER IN A DODGE RAM 1500 4X4 QUAD CAB. WE WERE RETURNING FROM A SHORT TRIP TO THE STORE. WHILE DRIVING ON A PERFECTLY STRAIGHT DRY ROAD, WITH COMPLETELY CLEAR VISIBILITY AT APPROX 3 PM AFTERNOON WITH VERY LIGHT TRAFFIC WE UNEXPECTEDLY FELT A HARD BUMP, AS IF WE HAD HIT A POT HOLE. IT WAS SO HARD I WAS THROWN FORWARD IN MY SEAT. THE DRIVER IMMEDIATELY YELLED THAT THE STEERING HAD LOCKED. HE WAS ALSO TRYING DESPERATELY TO HIT THE BRAKES, BUT THEY TOO WERE NOT WORKING. THE DRIVER STRUGGLED WITH ALL HIS MIGHT TO TRY AND GAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, BUT WASN'T ABLE TOO. WE DROVE DIRECTLY INTO THE LANE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. WE THEN LEFT THE LANE AND PROCEEDED INTO A PARKING AREA OF A CONVENIENCE STORE, WHERE WE STRUCK A PARKED VEHICLE. AFTER STRIKING THE PARKED VEHICLE WE WERE REDIRECTED BACK INTO THE LANE OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. IT WAS AT THAT TIME WE WERE STRUCK HEAD ON BY A SEMI TRUCK. THE SEMI DROVE COMPLETELY OVER THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE DODGE TRUCK CRUSHING ME INSIDE AND ROLLING THE SEMI. THE POLICE REPORT STATES THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL WAS FOUND SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS AWAY FROM THE SCENE OF THE WRECK. IN THE AREA WE NOTED THE INITIAL BUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS INVESTIGATED AND IT WAS FOUND THE FRONT PASSENGER BALL JOINT HAD BEEN BROKEN COMPLETELY IN HALF; HOWEVER, THE INVESTIGATED STATED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS TOO SEVERE TO MAKE A DETERMINATION AS TO WHETHER THE BALL JOINT FAILED BEFORE, OR WAS BROKEN DURING THE COLLISION. THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS BETWEEN THE FAILURE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND THE COLLISION. SOMETHING FAILED ON THAT VEHICLE RENDERING IT UNCONTROLLABLE. I DO HAVE THE VEHICLE IN MY POSSESSION, AND IT IS AVAILABLE FOR ANY FURTHER INVESTIGATION. DODGE HAS SHOWN NO INTEREST WHAT SO EVER IN INVESTIGATING THIS POSSIBLE MECHANICAL FAILURE. I WILL SPEND THE REST OF MY LIFE TRYING TO RECOVER FROM THE INJURIES I INCURRED FROM THIS ACCIDENT. *JB