NHTSA Complaint #750357 — 2000 DODGE CARAVAN

WHILE DRIVING VAN ON INTERSTATE 95 IN CONNECTICUT, I FELL ASLEEP FOR A FEW SECONDS AND DRIFTED ONTO THE SHOULDER AND THEN HIT 9 CHAINLINK FENCE POSTS IN A ROW. WHILE THIS WAS HAPPING I WOKE AND BRACED MY SELF FOR IMPACT BY PUSHING ON THE BRAKE AND PULLING ON THE STEERING WHEEL TOWARD ME. BEFORE IMPACTING THE STEERING WHEEL SNAPPED AT THE 12: O'CLOCK POSITION AND I BENT THE TWO SEPARATED TOWARD ME LIKE TWO BLUNT SPEARS. ON IMPACT (THE VAN RODE UP ON STEEL GUIDE WIRES AND WAS SLAMMED TO A STOP BY THE FIRST STEEL POLE HOOKING THE FRONT AXLE) THE FOUR INCHES OF SLACK ON THE SEAT BELT ALLOWED THE BLUNT SPEAR TO CRASH INTO MY CHEST CAUSING SERIOUS INJURIES. SIX DAYS IN HOSPITAL WITH BROKEN STERNUM, BROKEN RIBS, BLEEDING, COLLAPSED RIGHT LUNG. I DON'T KNOW HOW THE STEERING WHEEL BROKE BEING 52 YEARS OLD, 190 LBS AND NOT VERY STRONG. I AM HAVING THE WHEEL ANALYSED BY A PROFESSIONAL TO SEE IF THE METAL CORE WAS FLAWED OR THE CORE WAS NOT THICK ENOUGH. HOW CAN I GET THE SPECS FOR THIS INNER CORE TO COMPARE TO THE FINDINGS? IF THE WHEEL HAD NOT BROKE, I WOULD HAVE NO INJURIES.*AK