NHTSA Complaint #11000887 — 2015 KIA SORENTO

(AMENDMENTS TO ODI#S: 10668775 & 10663356 - UPDATE) ON 12/01/2014, I WAS IN A 2015 KIA SORENTO LX (ENTERPRISE INSURANCE RENTAL) TRAVELING ON CRABB RIVER ROAD, (A CITY STREET) SUGARLAND, TEXAS. I FULLY STOPPED AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS BECAUSE IT WAS RED. ONCE LIGHTS TURNED GREEN, I PUT THE VEHICLE IN MOTION BY STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE BUT THE CAR FELT REALLY SLUGGISH SO I GAVE IT MORE GAS IN ORDER TO GAIN ENOUGH SPEED AS I WAS ABOUT TO GO OVER SOME RAILROAD TRACKS (APPROX. 55+ MPH) WHICH WERE ON A ROAD THAT WAS ON AN INCLINE. RIGHT AS THE CAR REACHED THE TRACKS, THE ENGINE STALLED, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND I LOST ALL CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT DOVE INTO A DITCH; PLOWED DIRECTLY INTO A STEEL BILLBOARD POLE WHICH WAS CEMENTED INTO THE GROUND BECAUSE THE BRAKES BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH PRIOR TO THE CRASH. EVEN THOUGH I WAS FULLY BUCKLED, THE SEATBELT DID NOT PREVENT MY HEAD FROM VIOLENTLY HITTING THE WINDSHIELD AND BOUNCING OFF THE STEERING WHEEL SINCE NONE OF THE 8 AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I SUFFERED NEAR FATAL INJURIES INCLUDING A BROKEN BACK (L2 FRACTURE), SPINAL CORD, HEAD, EYE, CHIN, JAWS, NECK AND HIP; BROKEN TEETH, PERMANENT DISFIGURATION (18 STITCHES), SOME VISION & HEARING LOSS FROM NERVE DAMAGE AND PTSD, MENTAL ANGUISH, CHRONIC MIGRAINES, EXTREME STRESS, TERRIBLE RECURRING NIGHTMARES, ETC. I'M A 5'2" WOMAN AND MY CHEST WAS PINNED TO THE STEERING WHEEL UPON THE IMPACT WITH THE POLE AND THE FIRE DEPT. HAD TO FREE ME AND LIFT ME UP TO THE EMTS. I WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE ER OF A HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE AND LATER TRANSFERRED TO THE TRAUMA UNIT OF MEMORIAL HERMANN HOSPITAL DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF MY INJURIES.