Automotive Safety

Archive Report

Safety Debate in Manufacturing

Impact of Verdict in the ’Pinto Case’

Last year over 49,000 people died in traffic accidents in the United States.1 Shock at the carnage on the nation's highways usually has been directed toward the driver, expressed in moral invectives against reckless or drunken driving. This was due to the common assumption that since cars are driven by people, it follows that drivers are responsible for accident-related deaths.

This line of reasoning has been challenged in recent years. There is a growing realization that while a sizable percentage of accidents are caused by drivers, many are the result of defects in motor-vehicle design and engineering. The idea that auto safety is not entirely the responsibility of the driver has been reflected in recent court ...

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