Cars older than 10 years cause majority of defect-related crashes

In Louisiana and across the U.S., more drivers are staying content with their old vehicles. This makes sense when one considers how costly it is to purchase, and even to maintain, a new vehicle. The average car can run for some 300,000 miles and be around for 15 years, but this is only if it’s well-maintained. The bad thing is that many owners of older cars fail to keep up with maintenance.

Lack of maintenance leads to defective equipment and a higher chance of a car wreck. Incidentally, the majority of defect-related accidents are due to older vehicles. This is what the Ohio Highway Patrol discovered after looking at the defect-related crashes that occurred in that state in the past three years. Fifty-six percent were caused by vehicles made between 1999 and 2008. Model year 2009-2018 vehicles were to blame for 24% of the crashes.

Tire blowouts and brake failure were the two most frequently cited factors in these accidents. This is understandable; tires, for example, can be expensive no matter what the vehicle type is. Blown tires were linked to 42% of fatal defect-related crashes.

The average car repair bill, says AAA, is between $500 and $600. Experts encourage owners to maintain their vehicles and fix issues promptly despite any high upfront costs.

Whether a driver knew about a defect or had enough time to fix it will go a long way toward determining if crash victims have grounds for a personal injury case. For an in-depth case evaluation, victims may see a lawyer. Louisiana operates under a pure comparative fault rule, so victims may receive compensation even if they were partially to blame. They may want the lawyer to speak on their behalf at the negotiation table or, if necessary, in the courtroom.