Toyota 4Runners built before 1996 have been dubbed "death traps". The safety design flaws leading to rollovers have been proven dangerous time and time again in court rooms across America. Toyota has even admitted that the 4Runner is prone to rollovers on dry flat surfaces. The 4Runner has been known to rollover at speeds of less than 40 miles per hour during evasive maneuvers.
In 2002, 30 SUVs tested by the NHTS, (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) including the Toyota 4Runner, earned just two stars for rollover safety.
Safety during a rollover is key to driver and passenger safety. The lack thereof can result in roof crush, passenger compartment intrusion and passenger ejection if the windshield glass of the automobile breaks.
Under current NHTSA standards, the 1988-1996 4Runner would receive a one star in rollover resistance rating, the lowest possible rating. The pre-1996 4Runner is nearly four times more likely to rollover than the average vehicle.
"Two-thirds of pickups, vans and sport-utility vehicles don't provide acceptable protection against whiplash in rear-end collisions, according to tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Toyota Highlander and 4Runner SUVs earned 'Poor' ratings." -CNNMoney.com
If you or a loved one has been injured in a rollover or roof collapse related accident, contact Miller Weisbrod, LLP, for a free case assessment.
