NHTSA Complaint #719391 — 1999 CHEVROLET VENTURE

WHILE DRIVING NORTH BOUND ON I-71 IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY, MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW BLEW OUT. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND DIALED "911". WITHIN MINUTES, THE KENTUCK STATE HIGHWAY PATROL WAS ON THE SCENE. AS WE EVALUATED THE SITUATION AND CONDITION OF THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION, I HAD CONCERNS THAT THE WINDOW WAS SHOT OUT. THE OFFICER ASSURED ME THAT IT WAS NOT FOR THE PROJECTILE WOULD STILL BE IN THE VEHICLE. WE FURTHER DISCUSSED OTHER PROJECTILES HITTING THE WINDOW AND THAT TOO WAS RULED OUT FOR THE SAME REASON AS PREVIOUSLY STATED. ALSO, THE MAJORITY OF THE GLASS BLEW OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. GLASS FRAGMENTS WERE INBEDDED INTO THE PAINT ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND ADDITIONAL CHIPS WERE DISCOVERED IN THE REAR WINDOW (SAME SIDE) AS WELL. THE SOUND OF THE WINDOW SHATTERING IS SIMILAR TO A SHOT GUN BLAST. IT SCARED THE *&%&*% OUT OF ME, MY WIFE AND MY CHILDREN. SHOULD WE HAVE BEEN IN HEAVIER TRAFFIC, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. AS I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH MANY PEOPLE, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A MORE FREQUENT OCCURENCE THEN YOU WOULD THINK. I BELIEVE THAT MOST PEOPLE ASSUME THAT SOMETHING CONTACTED THE WINDOW CAUSING IT BREAK AND SIMPLY TURN IT IN TO THE INSURANCE. WHEN IN FACT, THERE COULD BE A SERIOUS DEFECT IN THE GLASS ITSELF OR THE MECHANISM USED TO RAISE AND LOWER THESE WINDOWS. *AK