NHTSA Complaint #10203099 — 1998 FORD CONTOUR

I WAS DRIVING A 1997 FORD CONTOUR. THIS WAS THE CAR I DROVE TO AND FROM WORK. I WAS DRIVING TO LONGVIEW COMMUNITY COLLEGE(LVCC) FOR A REHEARSAL AND LESSON ON THE BRUCE WATKINS DRIVE (HIGHWAY 71) SOUTH. THE TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY AS THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT AT THE GRANDVIEW TRIANGLE. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE JUST AT THE 87TH STREET EXIT. A VEHICLE CUT IN FRONT OF ME TO EXIT AT THIS TURN OFF. I WAS SLOWED TO ABOUT 35 MPH AND WAS DRIVING ACROSS A BRIDGE. AT THE END OF THAT BRIDGE WAS A HUGE BUMP. AS I HIT THAT BUMP, THE AIR BAG EXPLODED. I COULD NOT SEE WITH THE POWDER, SMOKE AND THE SMELL ( WHICH WAS BURNING MY EYES.) I RAN INTO THE BACK OF A TRAIL BLAZER. THE TRAILER HITCH RAMMED THROUGH THE RADIATOR. THE DRIVER DID NOT KNOW THAT I EVEN HAD HIT HIM. 60 SECONDS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, A POLICE CAPTAIN DETECTIVE ON HER WAY HOME FROM THE METROPOLITAN POLICE STATION, ASKED ME IF I WAS OK. SHE SAID, "I SAW THE AIR BAG DEPLOY BEFORE YOU HIT THAT CAR IN FRONT OF YOU." THE NOISE OF THE HORN WAS LOUD. THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WAS BROKEN BY THE HOOD, WHICH WAS BENT BACK LIKE A BANANA. ALL OF THE GLASS IN THE FRONT WAS ALL BROKEN. I WAS CHECKED OUT BY THE MAST AMBULANCE. THE CAR WAS LOADED ON A TRUCK AND PULLED ONTO THE PROPERTY OF DICK SMITH FORD IN RAYTOWN, MO. I CALLED MY AGENT WITH STATE FARM INSURANCE, AND HE GOT ME IN TOUCH WITH THEIR UNDERWRITERS AFTER THE CAR WAS WRITTEN OFF AS BEING A TOTAL WRECK. I HAD INFORMED HIM WHAT HAPPENED. THE UNDERWRITERS SAID, "THEY WOULD HAVE TO PICK AND CHOSE THEIR BATTLES WITH A BIG COMPANY LIKE FORD." I ALSO CALLED FORD IN MICHIGAN AND INFORMED THEM ABOUT THIS SITUATION. I HAVE FOUND ON THE INTERNET 13 OTHER EXAMPLES OF THIS KIND OF ACCIDENT. I DID NOT RECEIVE A TICKET OR ANY NOTICE OF WRONGFUL DRIVING. I DID GO TO MY DOCTOR FOR SEVERAL ADJUSTMENTS ON MY NECK AND BACK. *TR