NHTSA Complaint #10355847 — 1995 FORD E-250

ON AUGUST 4, 2010, MY 22 YEAR OLD SON WAS A PASSENGER IN A FORD ECONOLINE E 250 VAN ON HIS WAY TO WORK, WHEN THE DRIVER SOME HOW LOST CONTROL, HIT THE GUARDRAIL AND WAS EJECTED ALONG WITH MY SON! THE DRIVER WENT OUT FIRST AND TOOK THE WORST OF THE IMPACT. HOWEVER, HE IS STILL ALIVE WITH MASSIVE INJURIES. MY SON WAS THROWN OUT SECOND ACROSS THE HWY AND DIED FROM BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA TO HIS HEAD AND TORSO. THE 3RD PASSENGER WAS REMOVED WITH THE JAWS OF LIFE. MY SON NOR THE DRIVER WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS FROM WHAT I'VE BEEN TOLD. HOWEVER, I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT IT MAY NOT HAVE MATTERED DUE TO THE IMPACT. THE 3RD PERSON WAS IN THE BACK AND A SEAT BELT WAS NOT AVAILABLE, HE WAS SITTING ON A "MAKE SHIFT" TYPE SEAT(?) MY QUESTION IS...WHY DID THIS VAN SUSTAIN THIS MUCH MASSIVE DAMAGE FROM A ONE VEHICLE CRASH? HOW DID THE "CRASH DUMMIES" SURVIVE? ALTHOUGH, IT IS AN OLDER MODEL,(1995) THERE'S SEEMS TO BE NO REASON WHY THIS AMOUNT OF DAMAGE RESULTED FROM A ONE VEHICLE ACCIDENT. FROM WHAT I KNOW SO FAR, ROAD CONDITIONS NOR EXCESSIVE SPEED WERE AN ISSUE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW THIS PARTICULAR VAN DID IN FRONT IMPACT COLLISION TESTING. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT TYPE OF CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO INSURE THAT YOUR NEWER VANS DO NOT "CRUMBLE" IN THIS MANNER? I'M MORE THAN SURE AIRBAGS WOULD HAVE HELPED TREMENDOUSLY! BUT, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE VAN SHOULD HAVE, OR COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT MORE STURDIER BUILT???? I NEED ANSWERS AS TO WHY MY FIRST BORN SON WAS KILLED IN SUCH A HORRIFIC ONE VAN CRASH. THEY DIDN'T RUN INTO AN 18 WHEELER OR A TRAIN...IT WAS THE GUARDRAIL!!! PLEASE HELP ME AND HIS YOUNGER BROTHER TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS HAPPENED. UPDATED IVOQ 11/02/10 *TR