Bucks County, No. These tests proved that stronger seat backs were better than those that deformed during a crash. General Motors defends that seat backs that deform are better because they absorb energy. General Motors documents suggest that stronger seat backs would cut the number of fatalities by half during a rear-end collision. Even though the seat backs meet motor vehicle safety standards, it has been shown that a seat back made out of cardboard will meet the federal standard.
Seat belts can become unlatched in a crash because of the inertia forces produced by the crash.
Seat belt retractors can fail to timely lock during a crash scenario. Air bags can deploy with force sufficient to cause injury. Roofs can crush excessively during a rollover event. Gas tanks explode because they are placed behind the rear axle rather than over the rear axle, or in the case of General Motors pickups, outside the frame rails on the side of the vehicle. Transmission lockup can cause loss of control.