1996 Chevrolet Blazer seat belt problems

SEAT BELTS

ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2004, MY HUSBAND, MOTHER, 8 YEAR OLD SON, 4 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER, AND 1 YEAR OLD SON, WERE STRANDED IN THE EMERGENCY LANE ON I-66 EAST IN FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA WITH A BROKEN FUEL PUMP. WHILE WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK THEY WERE HIT BY A DRUNK DRIVER WHO WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 100 MPH. THE BLAZER FLIPPED ONTO ITS SIDE AND SKIDDED A GREAT DISTANCE, BEFORE FINALLY COMING TO REST UPSIDE DOWN. MY 4 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED WHEN THE BACK SEAT, AND THE FRONT SEAT BROKE AND SANDWICHED HER IN BETWEEN THE TWO. SHE BROKE HER JAW WHEN SHE WAS SLAMMED INTO THE SMALL HANDLE ABOVE THE REAR RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. SHE ALSO SUFFERED A BROKEN WRIST AND BROKEN ARM WHEN SHE WAS THROWN INTO THE DOOR. WHEN THE BACK SEAT BROKE IT CAUSED HER TO HIT THE HEADSET OF THE BROKEN FRONT SEAT WHICH IN TURN CAUSED SOME OF HER TEETH TO GO THROUGH HER BOTTOM LIP. MY MOTHER WHO WAS SITTING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS INJURED WHEN THE ROOF DID NOT HOLD UP IN THE CRASH AND SUFFERED THANKFULLY WHAT WAS CLASSIFIED AS "MINOR" INJURIES, BUT COULD HAVE VERY WELL BEEN MAJOR INJURIES BECAUSE THE ENTIRE RIGHT SIDE FROM FRONT TO BACK DID NOT HOLD UP IN THE ACCIDENT. I DO HAVE MANY PICTURES OF WHAT WAS LEFT OF MY BLAZER, FROM MANY DIFFERENT ANGLES BOTH INSIDE AND OUT. I AM DEEPLY TROUBLED BY THE FACT THAT BOTH SEATS BROKE, AND THE ROOF DID NOT HOLD UP AT ALL. MY 8 YEAR SITTING IN THE REAR CENTER SEAT HAD A LACERATION AND CONCUSSION, MY 1 YEAR OLD SITTING IN THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HAD NO INJURIES, AND MY HUSBAND IN THE DRIVERS SEAT SUFFERED MINOR HEAD AND SHOULDER INJURIES. GRANTED THIS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE, BUT I EXPECTED A LOT MORE OUT OF THE BLAZER THAN WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

NHTSA complaint #10104101 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT VEHICLE WAS REARENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN DRIVER. DRIVER SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint #8001773 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON MAY 6, 1999. I HAD A VEHICLE PULL OUT IN FRONT OF ME GOING ABOUT 65 MPH. I ENDED UP T- BONING HIM ON HIS DRIVER SIDE. MY AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, MY SEATBELT DID NOT HOLD ME IN POSITION TO WHERE I HIT THE REARVEIW MIRROR WITH MY FOREHEAD AND BROKE IT. THE ROAD SURFACE WAS WET BECAUSE IT HAD RAINED EARLIER. THE BOY IN THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS DRIVING AN OLDER MODEL S-10 BLAZER THE IMPACT THROW HIM TO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF HIS VEHICLE. HE SUBSTAINED MINOR INJURIES WHILE AM SUFFERING FROM SEVERE WHIPLASH, BACK-ACHES, HEAD-ACHES AND NUMBNESS. I STRONGLY FEEL WITH THE IMPACT I TOOK THE AIR BAG SHOULD"VE DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELT SHOULD"VE HELD ME IN PLACE AND BRAKES WOULD"VE SLOWED ME DOWN SOONER. IN THE POLICE REPORT IT IS MARKED NO FOR SAFETY DEVICE ON BUT IT WAS ON BECAUSE I REMEMBER HAVING TO REACH MY CELL PHONE TO CALL FOR HELPBUT AT THAT TIME IT HAD LOCKED ME IN AND I HAD TO RELEASE THE LEVER TO MOVE TO WHERE THE CELL PHONE HAD FALLING. I CALLED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND TALKED TO DAN MACK WHO INVESTIGATED THE ACCIDENT. HE SAID HE AGREED WITH ME BECAUSE I WOULD"VE SUBSTAINED MORE INJURIES. AS OF MY KNOWLEDGE THE POLICE REPORT WAS NEVER CHANGED. ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE ME WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND SERVICES.

NHTSA complaint #717440 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

ALL I ASK GM TO DO WAS PAY MEDICAL AND PUT IN OWNERS MANUAL THAT SEAT BELTS DO NOT WORK IN ROLL OVERS AND SIDE IMPACTS.

NHTSA complaint #713502 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH CONSUMER'S WIFE HAD A COLLISION WHERE ANOTHER VEHICLE CROSSED THE LINES AND STRUCK CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAG DEPLOYED. BUT SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN, RELEASING CHILD'S CAR SEAT, AND CAUSING HEAD INJURIES TO THE CHILD. THIS PROBLEM HAD HAPPENED BEFORE, AND BEEN REPORTED TO MANUFACTURER.

NHTSA complaint #838768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG AND THE FAILURE OF THE SEAT BELT TO RESTRAIN PROPERLY CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY TO THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE.(ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).

NHTSA complaint #536006 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

AT STOP LIGHT WHEN REARENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK UP, DID NOT RESTRAIN DRIVER WHO SLID UNDER DASHBOARD. STEERING PREVENTED COMPLETE SLIPPAGE. VEHICLE AT BODY SHOP.

NHTSA complaint #831405 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

REAR SEAT BELT FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #523512 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.