Safer car? Thank a trial attorney

You often read in the press that a trial attorney is suing a big corporation for what the company calls a frivolous cause. What’s not appreciated is how cases brought for injured clients contribute to the well-being of everyone.

American Association for Justice President Gibson Vance recently wrote a guest column for the Washington Post titled “How Our Cars Got Safer.” It explains how the civil justice system has improved vehicle design and operation.

Among the key points that Gibson makes in the article:

• “History shows that litigation and the civil justice system have served as the most consistent and powerful forces in heightening safety standards, revealing previously concealed defects and regulatory weaknesses and deterring manufacturers from cutting corners on safety for the goal of greater profits.”

• “…without the civil justice system, gas tanks would still explode in rear-end collisions, seat belts and airbags would not be standard, and cars would roll over onto roofs that would be easily crushed.”

The next time a car salesperson touts the safety features of a vehicle, remember that civil trial attorneys pursued the difficult and often unpopular legal routes that caused the automaker to install those devices that could save your life.