NHTSA Complaint #10870407 — 2012 HYUNDAI VELOSTER

HYUNDAI VELOSTER 2012 - TRAVELLING IN LEFT LANE OF DIVIDED 4 LANE HIGHWAY AT 65MPH, BRAKED AND SLIGHTLY VEERED TO LEFT SUDDENLY AS VEHICLE IN RIGHT LANE MOVED INTO LEFT LANE IN FRONT AT SLOWER RATE OF SPEED. WITH VERY LITTLE LEFT SHOULDER, VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD INTO THE GRASSY DAMP MEDIAN. DUE TO LOSS OF TRACTION, WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL VEHICLE, HAD CHOICE OF HITTING TREES/CREEK OR CONCRETE BRIDGE SUPPORT. VEHICLE HIT BRIDGE SUPPORT STILL TRAVELING AT 45-65MPH HEAD ON, THEN SWUNG AROUND SO LEFT SIDE OF PASSENGER VEHICLE SCRAPED ON THE BRIDGE SUPPORT FROM FRONT BUMPER TO REAR SEAT. VEHICLE SUFFERED MAJOR DAMAGE TO FRONT END, TORE OFF MIRROR, DOOR HANDLE AND BROKE ALL GLASS ON LEFT SIDE. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ANYWHERE IN THE VEHICLE. DRIVER WAS STRUCK BY AN OBJECT IN VEHICLE CAUSING A SEVERE LACERATION ACROSS EYELID FROM NOSE, UP ACROSS EYEBROW. ABOUT 1.5" LONG, CUT TO BONE. SIDE WINDOW GLASS SHATTERED RESULTING IN SEVERAL PIECES EMBEDDING IN VARIOUS BODY PARTS AND MANY SHARP SLIVERS OF GLASS ALL OVER. HAD AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, PARTICULARLY THE STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG, WE FEEL THAT THE DRIVER MAY HAVE AVOIDED THE INJURY TO THE EYE WHICH WILL REQUIRE RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY TO REPAIR. WIPER WASHER STALK BROKE OFF FROM STEERING WHEEL WITH THE OUTER PORTION COMPLETELY COMING APART WITH A 2-3" PROTRUDING PLASTIC CORE WHICH WE BELIEVE CAUSED THE EYE INJURY DUE TO BLOOD ON THE ITEM. OTHER POSSIBILITY WOULD BE THE REARVIEW MIRROR. IN EITHER CASE WE FEEL THAT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WOULD HAVE PREVENT FACE FROM CONTACTING EITHER OF THOSE ITEMS.