NHTSA Complaint #10380925 — 2009 MAZDA MAZDA5

AT ABOUT 0630HRS, 02-03-11, WHILE OPERATING A 2009 MAZDA, MAZDA5 TOURING. THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR AND THE ROADWAY, OKEECHOBEE BLVD., ROYAL PALM BEACH, PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA, WAS DRY, STRAIGHT AND LEVEL AND OF MACADAM CONSTRUCTION. TRAFFIC CONDITIONS WERE LIGHT TO MODERATE. THE PORTION OF THE ROADWAY BEING DRIVEN UPON WAS OF FOUR (4) LANES WITH A CENTER MEDIAN OF CONCRETE CURBING AND SOIL/LANDSCAPING WITH GRASS AND SHRUBS AND TREES AND THERE ARE LEFT/RIGHT TURN LANES IN ADDITION TO THE THROUGH ROADWAY. OKEECHOBEE BLVD. RUNS EAST AND WEST AND THE AREA IN WHICH THE INCIDENT OCCURRED IS A RESIDENTIAL AREA. WHILE DRIVING EASTBOUND ON OKEECHOBEE BLVD. IN THE INSIDE LANE OF TRAFFIC AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 35 (THIRTYFIVE) MPH AND APPROACHING THE INTERSECTION OF CRESTWOOD BLVD., THE CAR SUDDENLY BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT, WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM THE DRIVER, AND BEGAN ENTERING INTO THE LEFT TURN LANE OF OKEECHOBEE BLVD, AND ALL ATTEMPTS TO REGAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE CAR WERE THWARTED BY THE SUDDEN AND APPARENT TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, AS THE EFFORT TO TURN OR EVEN MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL CAUSED NO CHANGE IN DIRECTION AND WAS BEYOND THE PHYSICAL STRENGTH OF THE DRIVER, A 54 YOA, WHITE FEMALE IN GOOD HEALTH AND STRENGTH. AS THE CAR CONTINUED TRAVELING FURTHER LEFT INTO THE INTERSECTION AND WITH THE APPLICATION OF BRAKING, THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL AND RIGHT FRONT LOWER BUMPER AND CHASSIS STRUCK THE CURBING, TRAVELING ABOUT 5 (FIVE) FEET BEFORE THE CAR CAME TO A HALT IN THE WESTBOUND INSIDE LEFT TURN LANE OF OKEECHOBEE BLVD. AT THE CRESTWOOD BLVD. INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE SUFFERED A SHATTERED OILPAN/LOWER CRANKCASE AND OTHER MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE AS WELL AS DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT FRONT SUSPENSION COMPONENTS, SWINGARM AND WHEEL/TIRE ALONG WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FRONT PLASTIC BUMPER COVER AND LOWER PLASTIC PANS. THE DRIVER SUFFERED MINOR BUMPS/BRUISING AND MUSCULO/SKELETAL PAIN TO THE ARMS,SHOULDERS AND NECK. *LN