NHTSA Complaint #10189307 — 2004 DODGE NEON

IT WAS ANOTHER SUNDAY AFTERNOON, WE HAD JUST LEFT CHURCH (ME, MY HUSBAND, AND 2 YEAR SON AND WAS ON OUR WAY TO SEE A FRIEND AND HER NEWBORN BABY AT THE HOSPITAL. ON OUR WAY TO THE HOSPITAL A TRUCK PULLED OUT FROM THE ACCESS ROAD FROM I-20 DIRECTLY INTO OUR PATHS. WE WERE TRAVELING UNDER 50 MPH AND HAD THE RIGHT OF WAY....ALL WE COULD DO TO AVOID THE TRUCK WAS TO HIT THE BRAKES. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT. OUR 2004 DODGE NEON STRUCK A CHEVYROLET AVALANCHE PICK UP. THE IMPACT WAS ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHERE IT COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE RIGHT FRONT FENDER, GRILL, HEADLIGHTS, AND THE HOOD IS NOW A RAINBOW OVER THE ENGINE. THE UGLIEST PART OF THIS THOUGH, IS THAT I WAS THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT, THE PASSENGER'S AIR BAG AS WELL AS THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED. IN ADDITION, THE SEAT BELT NEVER LOCKED, AND I WAS THROWN FORWARD WITH THE IMPACT OF THE CAR. MY FOREHEAD STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD, THEN THE DASHBOARD IN FRONT OF ME. MY CHEST ALSO HIT THE DASHBOARD, AND MY KNEES WERE FORCED UP UNDER THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT AREA. YES, I KNOW THIS MAY SOUND MINOR WITH ALL THE ACCIDENTS THAT HAPPEN, AND THANK GOD IT WAS. BUT I HATE TO KNOW THAT THIS HAPPENED TO ME,AND COULD MORE THAN LIKELY HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE, AND THEY MAY NOT BE AS FORTUNATE. I AM NOW SUFFERING FROM SORENESS IN MY CHEST AND BACK, MY KNEES ARE BRUISED, AND I HAVE SEVERE WHIPLASH IN MY NECK. THIS INCIDENT HAS MADE ME RETHINK THE SAFETY OF THE DODGE NEON, AND I WILL NOW RECONSIDER A MUCH SAFER ALTERNATIVE FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. *AK