NHTSA Complaint #10351100 — 1990 FORD ESCORT

WHILE TRAVELING ON A FREEWAY AT THE SPEED LIMIT OF 65 MILES PER HOUR, I ENDED UP IN A SKID ON DRY PAVEMENT. I DON'T REMEMBER HOW I GOT INTO THE SKID DUE TO HEAD INJURIES RECEIVED IN THE RESULTING ACCIDENT. THE CAR SKIDDED SIDEWAYS FOR QUITE A WAYS AND DID NOT RESPOND NORMALLY TO ATTEMPTS TO STEER IT. PERHAPS THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE POWER STEERING WAS NO LONGER WORKING. THE CAR EVENTUALLY HIT THE RAISED CONCRETE RUMBLE STRIPS WHILE SKIDDING SIDEWAYS. THE CAR THEN FLIPPED OVER IN THE AIR AND TUMBLED DOWN THE MEDIAN, WITH THE FIRST IMPACT LIKELY TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE ROOF, KNOCKING OUT THE DRIVER. THE CAR CONTINUED TO TUMBLE DOWN THE MEDIAN UNTIL THE CAR VAULTED AND LANDED ON ITS TOP. I REMEMBER BEING UPSIDE DOWN IN THE AIR, BUT NOTHING ELSE UNTIL I CAME TO HANGING UPSIDE DOWN FROM MY SEAT BELT WITH BLURRED VISION. I HAD 2 LARGE LUMPS ON THE TOP OF THE HEAD, A BADLY SWOLLEN JAW AND GUMS, A SWOLLEN TONGUE (BITTEN ON BOTH SIDES), ONE NOSTRIL FILLED WITH BLOOD, THE BACK OF MY HEAD NECK AND SHOULDERS WERE SWOLLEN BY WHAT FELT LIKE ABOUT 1/4 TO 1/2 INCH THICK. I HAD BRUISES AROUND MY RIGHT ELBOW, ON MY RIGHT THIGH, AND LIKELY OTHER PLACES, AS WELL AS A COMPRESSION FRACTURE OF THE SECOND LUMBAR VERTEBRA FROM THE BOTTOM (L4?). SINCE I HAD DIFFICULTY BREATHING, THEY DID A TRACHEOTOMY ON ME WHILE WAITING FOR THE AMBULANCE. THEY PRIED OPEN THE REAR HATCH TO GET ME OUT OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL 5 DAYS, OUT OF WORK 5 WEEKS, AND IN VARIOUS DEGREES OF PAIN FOR ABOUT 1 YEAR. THE ROOF FAILED TO PROTECT ME, THE INERTIA LOCK SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED TO PREVENT MY CHIN FROM HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL AND ITS FAILURE TO WORK LIKELY RESULTED IN THE COMPRESSION FRACTURE WHICH THE DOCTOR SAID WAS PROBABLY FROM LUNGING FORWARD. THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT ME IN THE CAR WAS THE MANUAL ADJUSTED LAP BELT, WHICH IS NO LONGER INSTALLED IN FORDS. ALL BELTS ARE INERTIA LOCK, LIKE THE SHOULDER BELT OF THIS CAR WAS. THE VEHICLE HAD A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. *TR