NHTSA Complaint #10649541 — 2012 DODGE CHARGER

OPERATING MY VEHICLE WITH SEATBELTS EMPLOYED, I WAS STRUCK OFFSET HEAD-ON FROM MY LEFT AT THE DRIVERS FRONT HEADLIGHT FROM AN ONCOMING VEHICLE WHO'S DRIVER FAILED TO YIELD TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, MAKING A LEFT TURN, CROSSING INTO MY LANE CAUSING THE COLLISION AND SUBSEQUENT EVENTS. MY SPEED WAS ACCELERATING AND WAS APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN HIT BY THE OTHER VEHICLE, REPORTEDLY ACCELERATING TO AN ESTIMATED 15 MPH. DESPITE THESE ENERGETIC COLLISIONS, NONE OF MY AIRBAGS EVER DID DEPLOY. AFTER THE INITIAL VEHICLE COLLISION, MY CAR WAS SUBSEQUENTLY SLAMMED TO THE SIDE AND OFF THE ROAD. WITH CONTINUED FORWARD MOMENTUM, "STANDING" ON THE BRAKES AND WITH NO STEERING CONTROL, I STRUCK A FIRE HYDRANT IN MY PATH FOLLOWED BY A LARGE TREE HEAD-ON. THE TREE COLLISION WAS SIGNIFICANTLY ENERGETIC ENOUGH TO CAUSE TOTAL FRONT END DAMAGES RESULTING IN REPAIRS APPROXIMATELY $20,000. IN ALL THREE COLLISIONS, NONE OF MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I SUSTAINED HEAD TRAUMA AND WAS UNCONSCIOUS WHEN EMS/POLICE ARRIVED. I WAS DIAGNOSED IN THE ER WITH CLOSED HEAD INJURY AND OTHER MVA- RELATED TRAUMA. MECHANISM OF INJURY: AFTER THE INITIAL VEHICLE/VEHICLE COLLISION, MY HEAD COLLIDED WITH THE UPPER INSIDE DRIVER'S DOORFRAME WHERE THERE'S A HANDLE. WHEN MY CAR SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH THE LARGE TREE, MY NECK SNAPPED FORWARD AND I STRUCK MY FOREHEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL. IT'S MY OPINION AND THAT OF OTHERS, THAT THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED IN AT LEAST ONE OF THE COLLISIONS AND HAD THEY DEPLOYED CORRECTLY, MY INJURIES COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED OR, AT MINIMUM, BEEN LESS SEVERE. *TR