NHTSA Complaint #738550 — 2000 HONDA CIVIC

MY 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WENT THROUGH A RED LIGHT ON DEC. 12, 2000. SHE SIDESWIPED A 1993 VOLVO. SHE HIT SO HARD THAT OUR 2000 HONDA CIVIC DID A 180 DEGREE SPIN THEN RE-HITTING THE VOLVOS REAR WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE 2000 CIVIC. THIS THEN PUSHED THE VOLVO INTO A STOPPED JEEP AT THE RED LIGHT. OUR HONDA CIVIC INITIALLY HIT THE VOLVO STRAIGHT ON AT ABOUT 40+ MILES PER HOUR. THE HONDA'S FRONT END WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE PROBLEM IS THAT NEITHER AIRBAG IN THE HONDA DEPLOYED. THIS WAS NOT AN OFFSET CRASH. THE FRONT END DIRECTLY HIT THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VOLVO. NO BRAKING WAS INVOLVED AND THE VOLVOS FRONT AIR BAGS DID DEPLOY. MY DAUGHTERS LEGS WERE VERY BRUISED AS WELL AS HER SIDE AND NECK. SHE WAS WEARING HER SEATBELT AS THIS IS THE ONLY THING THAT SAVED HER LIFE. THE 200 HONDA CIVIC HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED AS TOTALED BY AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE. I BOUGHT THIS NEWER MODEL CAR FOR THE AIRBAG SAFETY FEATURES ESPECIALLY FOR SUCH A YOUNG DRIVER. WHY AT AN IMPACT OF 40+ MILES PER HOUR WITH A DIRECT FRONTAL HIT WOULD THE AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOY IN A 2000 MODEL HONDA CIVIC??? YET A 93 VOLVO WHEN HIT FROM THE SIDE RECOGNIZED ENOUGH IMPACT TO DEPLOY ITS FRONT AIR BAGS. *AK