NHTSA Complaint #10208603 — 2006 HONDA CIVIC

I WAS DRIVING ON ROUTE 88 HEADING WEST. I SHIFTED LANES GRADUALLY FROM THE LEFT LANE TO THE RIGHT LANE WHEN I HIT A PUDDLE. I WAS EASING OFF THE ACCELERATOR, BUT I DID NOT HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. MY HONDA CIVIC HYBRID 2006 STARTED TO HYDROPLANE. IT SPUN AROUND 320 DEGREES AND WENT OVER AN EMBANKMENT. THE CAR SUFFERED OVER $14,000 DAMAGE AND MY WIFE SUFFERED A SEVERE BACK INJURY THAT CONTINUES TO IMPACT HER ABILITY TO FUNCTION TODAY. THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO THE STATE POLICE. A WITNESS THAT WAS DRIVING BEHIND ME CONFIRMED THAT MY BRAKE LIGHTS NEVER LIT UP. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE HONDA CIVIC HYBRID IS MORE LIKELY TO HYDROPLANE THAN OTHER CARS. I WOULD LIKE SOMEONE TO INVESTIGATE THE POSSIBILITY THAT THERE IS A DEFECT THAT CREATES THIS SIGNIFICANT RISK. I SHOULD ALSO NOTE THAT I HAVE OBSERVED UNUSUALLY RAPID WEARING OF THE TIRES ON THE HYBRID. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, BUT DID NOT OFFER A REMEDY. THE FRONT TIRES WERE REPLACED AT 13,000 MILES AND THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 20,000 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. *TR