A 7-year-old child was hospitalized with serious leg injuries in a San Diego car accident, which officials say, was caused by a driver who ran a red light. According to a 10News report, the injury car accident occurred at the intersection of Fairmount and Home avenues in the Ridgeview area of San Diego the night of November 23, 2010. The child was a passenger in a Nissan Altima, which had the green light as it entered the intersection.

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At the time, the driver of a 1995 Lincoln Mark VIII ran a red light and crashed into the Nissan. Officials say it is possible that the Lincoln lost its brakes prior to the car accident. Two other people in the Altima and two in the Lincoln also sustained injuries that have been described as minor. Police say alcohol was not a factor. No citations have been issued pending an official investigation.
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Lorri Lasotovitch, 50, was killed in a Fresno car accident, which officials say, involved a hit-and-run driver. According to a news report in The Fresno Bee, the fatal car accident occurred the night of November 24, 2010 near Clovis and South avenues in Fresno. Police report that a 1988 Ford Bronco driven by Jacob Ward, 21, went through a stop sign and crashed into a 2000 Pontiac Firebird and a 1997 Kia LS. Lasotovitch was ejected from the Firebird. She was transported to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead. Ward left the scene of the car accident but later turned himself in to the police.
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A possible auto defect has caused Hyundai to recall140,000 Sonatas following an investigation by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA). In August of 2010, the NHTSA began inspections due to reported problems with the cars steering column. Sonatas manufactured in Alabama between December 11, 2009 and September 10, 2010 showed a separation in a joint that could lead to steering problems and an increased risk of crashing. The vehicles that prompted the investigation and subsequent recall were manufactured in the same month and had fewer than 600 miles at the time of the incidents.
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Volvo has expanded its vehicle defect recall to 58 more vehicles, which have an improperly manufactured airbag system. According to a news report, the vehicles recalled are the 2011 XC60 models. Earlier this month, the auto maker issued a recall for nearly 10,000 vehicles because of a faulty airbag. The models involved in this recall were the 2010-11 S80, 2010 V70, 2011 XC60 and 2010-11 XC70. In these vehicles, the front driver’s side airbag may fail to deploy in the event of a car accident.
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched a much-needed investigation into how quickly rental car accompanies repair defective vehicles that have been the subject of recalls. According to a report in Detroit News, the federal agency is looking into nearly 3 million vehicles from the three large American auto makers — Ford, General Motors and Chrysler — which were sold to rental car companies. This investigation encompasses 29 vehicle models, from sedans to SUVs and minivans, which were manufactured over the last decade.
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A jury in Mississippi returned a verdict in an auto product liability case, ordering Ford Motor Company to pay $131 million to the family of Brian Cole who died in an accident while driving a Ford Explorer. After the verdict, Ford reached a settlement with the family but refused to disclose the amount. Cole died in a 2001 accident in which his Ford Explorer went off the road and rolled over, ejecting Cole from the vehicle. At the time of the accident, Brian Cole had been a pitching prospect for the New York Mets.
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Nissan is recalling more than 515,000 vehicles in the United States due to product defects. On November 11, 2010, more than 604,500 vehicles were recalled from Canada, Argentina, Brazil, and Africa. A lower steering column joint shaft will be replaced on about 303,000 Frontiers and 283,000 Xterra SUVs. A battery cable terminal will be replaced on 18,500 Senatra sedans as well.

Nissan Motor Company is Japan’s third largest carmaker and has chosen to voluntarily recall these vehicles despite the fact that there have been no complaints, accidents or injuries reported. This recall is the latest of many recent U.S. auto defect recalls, though this one occurred without any complaints, accidents or injuries. “We’re just being proactive,” said Colin Price, a Nissan spokesman.
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Jordan Michelle West, 16, was killed in a San Francisco area car accident, which official say, involved an underage drunk driver. According to a news report in The Contra Costa Times, the fatal car accident occurred the early morning of November 21, 2010 on Highway 101 near Blossom Hill Road in San Jose. West was a passenger with four other teenagers in a Toyota Rav4. The driver of the Toyota made an unsafe lane change, collided with a Honda and veered off the road and into a tree. West died at the scene of the accident. Nathan Viera, 16, Carlos Duevas, 15, Aaron Daniels, 17 and the unidentified teen driver, were all injured in the accident as well. The driver has been arrested on suspicion of DUI.

My heartfelt condolences go out to the family, friends and classmates of Jordan Michelle West. Apparently she was a cheerleader at the local high school as was the driver of the vehicle who was arrested. My thoughts and prayers are also with the injured victims of this tragic car accident. I wish them the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
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Last week, The FDA removed the dangerous and sometimes-deadly prescription painkiller propoxyphene (sold under the brand names Darvon and Darvocet in the US) from the market as well as its generic surrogates. However, the delay in pulling the drug from the market may have caused several deaths. For 50 years now the medicial community has been concerned with this drug. Not only is propoxyphene highly addictive and can be toxic even at low levels, it’s not a very effective painkiller. It is a highly defective drug
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General Motors and Chrysler announced Thursday, November 11, 2010 that they are recalling 30,000 vehicles due to power steering problems and a faulty windshield wiper system, respectively. This recall is the latest of many recent U.S. auto recalls. In fact, Nissan announced a recall the same day for 600,000 Frontiers and Xterras due to lower steering column joint problems that lead to corrosion. Luckily, GM and Chrysler have not reported any accidents or injuries in connection with these most recent recalls. Furthermore, GM and Chrysler dealers are setting up to repair and replace defective parts at no charge to the owner later this month.
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