NHTSA Complaint #10716912 — 2013 TOYOTA YARIS

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THINKS THAT SHE MUST HAVE HIT A PATCH OF ICE BECAUSE THE CAR SUDDENLY FELT OUT OF CONTROL. THE LAST THING SHE REMEMBERS IS HEADING STRAIGHT TOWARD A GUARDRAIL AND TURNING TO AVOID A COLLISION. THE NEXT THING SHE REMEMBERS IS BEING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED SO BADLY THAT IT WAS TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE LEFT FRONT, LEFT SIDE, AND LEFT REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND TO THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE RIGHT TIRE WAS MISSING AND THE WHEEL RIML WAS BADLY BENT ON 2 SIDES. THE FRAME OF THE CAR WAS BENT ON THE LEFT SIDE, THE LEFT DOOR WAS JAMMED AJAR AND THE HOOD WOULD NOT CLOSE. MY DAUGHTER SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT INJURIES IN THE ACCIDENT. SHE HAD A CONTUSION ON THE L SIDE OF HER HEAD AND A DISC IN HER CERVICAL SPINE WAS HERNIATED AND TOUCHING HER SPINAL CORD. HER FRONT TOOTH WAS BROKEN AND SHE HAD BRUISING ON HER FACE AND HER LEFT HIP. IN ADDITION TO ABOVE, THE ER DOCTOR SAID SHE HAD HAD A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. SHE IS IMPROVING BUT HAS CONTINUED TO HAVE DIFFICULTIES WITH FOCUSING AND SUSTAINING ATTENTION, SHORTTERM MEMORY, INTERMITTENT BLURRED VISION, AND HAS HAD TO DROP OUT OF SCHOOL. THE NEUROSURGEON WHO FOLLOWS HER NOW SAID SHE WILL LIKELY NEED NECK SURGERY IN THE FUTURE. I REPORTED THIS TO TOYOTA SO THEY WOULD BE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THE AIRBAGS HADN'T DEPLOYED AND THAT THIS MIGHT BE A SAFETY CONCERN IN OTHER 2013 YARIS CARS. THEIR RESPONSE WAS TROUBLING. THEY SEEMED FAR MORE FOCUSED ON AVOIDING A LAWSUIT THAN ON SAFETY CONCERNS. WHEN I CALLED THEM ONE MONTH LATER TO REPORT THAT SHE WAS BETTER AND TO ASK ABOUT FINDINGS, THEY COULDN'T GIVE ANY INFORMATION AS "THE CASE" WAS IN THEIR LEGAL DIVISION. DESPITE THE FACT THAT MY FOCUS WAS ON SAFETY CONCERNS.