NHTSA Complaint #10778889 — 2012 TOYOTA PRIUS

MY WIFE WAS INVOLVED IN A TWO CAR CRASH WHEN A CAR COMING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION MADE AN ILLEGAL LEFT TURN DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HER. IT HAPPENED SO QUICK THAT SHE NEVER HAD TIME TO HIT HER BRAKES. SHE WAS TRAVELING BETWEEN 30 AND 35 MPH IN A 35 MPH ZONE ON A TWO LANE ROAD. I WOULD THINK THAT AT THAT SPEED IF ALL HER SAFETY EQUIPMENT WORKED SHE WOULD NOT SUFFER ANY INJURIES. HER SEAT BELT FAILED CAUSING THE SEAT LATCH TO FAIL AND SHE ENDED UP JAMMED INTO THE BOTTOM AND UNDER SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD. SHE SUFFERED A BLOW TO HER CHEST AND INJURIES TO HER KNEES, LOWER LEGS AND FOOT. SHE HAD SURGERY ON HER RIGHT KNEE SO WE COULD GET HER ON HER FEET AGAIN AND IS AWAITING SURGERY ON HER RIGHT SHOULDER. SHE HAD A PRE EXISTING HEART CONDITION THAT WAS RAISED TO EMERGENCY STATUS AFTER THE BLOW TO HER CHEST AND SHE HAD SURGERY FOR THAT AND THEY FOUND A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE MIDDLE OF HER HEART AND ZAPPED IT. THERE IS ONLY A 2% CHANCE IT WILL EVER RETURN. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE FAILED SEAT BELT AND SEAT. THE SEAT BELT IS IN THE FULLY EXTENDED POSITION AND LOCKED AND CAN NOT BE RELEASED EVEN BY YANKING ON IT. I AM WRITING THIS REPORT SO THIS SITUATION CAN BE CHECKED AND IF FOUND FAULTY CAN BE CORRECTED BEFORE ANY ONE ELSE GOES THROUGH WHAT MY WIFE IS GOING THROUGH.