NHTSA Complaint #734170 — 1997 DODGE RAM 2500

THERE IS A SAFETY STANDARD REQUIRING HEAD RESTRAINTS TO PREVENT OR REDUCE WHIPLASH INJURIES YET THERE IS APPARENTLY NO STANDARD THAT REQUIRES THE SEAT BACK HOLDING SUCH HEAD RESTRAINT TO REMAIN STANDING UPRIGHT DURING AN ACCIDENT WHERE SUCH HEAD RESTRAINT WOULD BE NEEDED. I WAS REAR ENDED ON AN EXPRESSWAY. THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING SIGNIFICANTLY FASTER THAN I WAS. THE IMPACT WAS SEVERE ENOUGH THAT THE INTERIOR SHELVING IN MY VAN BUCKLED DUE TO THE SHOCK TO ITS LOAD. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK RECLINER STRIPPED COMPLETELY, ALLOWING THE SEAT BACK TO COLLAPSE. IN FACT, THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED THE SEAT FROM COLLAPSING ALL THE WAY WAS THE CARGO LOADED BETWEEN THE SEAT AND THE SHELVES. INSTEAD OF A WHIPLASH INJURY, I RECEIVED A LOWER BACK INJURY FROM MY BACK BEING SNAPPED BACK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEAT. WHAT GOOD IS A HEAD RESTRAINT IF THE SEAT BACK DOESN'T HOLD IT UP? FURTHERMORE, IN THE SEARCH TO FIND A USED SEAT TO AVOID HAVING TO DISMANTLE THE SEAT TO REPLACE THE STRIPPED RECLINER, I DISCOVERED THAT ALL SIMILAR DODGE VANS IN THE JUNK YARDS WITH THE DELUXE HIGH BACK SEATS ARE SIMILARLY STRIPPED. I SEARCHED JUNKYARDS DESPITE THE POLICE OFFICER WHO CAME TO THE ACCIDENT SCENE SAYING THAT SEATS COLLAPSING DURING REAR END ACCIDENTS WAS COMMON. IS THIS ANOTHER INSTANCE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAVING ITS HEAD UP ITS A** LIKE WITH THE FIRESTONE TIRES?