NHTSA Complaint #10160251 — 2002 HYUNDAI ACCENT

MOTOR VEHICLE CRASH AT 35 MILES PER HOUR INVOLVING A 2002 HYUNDAI ACCENT 2 DOOR AND A MINIVAN. THE FRONT END OF ACCENT COLLIDED WITH SIDE PANEL OF A MINIVAN BETWEEN FRONT AND REAR DOOR. ACCENT WAS A HATCHBACK STYLE. IN THE HATCHBACK AREA WAS AN ASSORTMENT OF SMALL ITEMS AND A LAUNDRY BASKET FILLED WITH ITEMS WEIGHING A TOTAL OF APPROX 40 POUNDS. OUR CONCERN WAS THAT UPON IMPACT THE REAR SEAT BACK WHICH WAS IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION WAS "BOWED" FORWARD IN THE CENTER OF THE SEAT. IF ANYONE HAD BEEN SITTING IN THAT SEAT THEY WOULD HAVE EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT TRAUMA TO THEIR BACK. ALL VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE CAR WAS TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OPENED NORMALLY, THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS ABLE TO BE OPENED AND CLOSED AND THE HATCHBACK WORKED NORMALLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT. *JB