Vehicle fires as a result of a collision need to be closely looked into. Far too often, a driver or passenger dies or is seriously injured as a result of burns or smoke inhalation in a collision that was otherwise survivable. If someone you know was seriously injured or died because of vehicle fire after a collision, give us a call.
Many times, a driver or passenger should not die or suffer severe burn injuries from an otherwise survivable collision. And it doesn’t matter if the driver was at fault in causing the collision or if it was a one vehicle collision. For example, a driver leaves the roadway and hits a tree. What should have been an accident that results in a sore neck or back for a few days, instead the driver is burned or killed when the fuel system fails. Too many people would believe that since the driver was “at fault” for leaving the roadway and hitting the tree, there is no case here. But a safe fuel system would not have failed, and the driver would walk away without serious injuries. This is part of what is referred to as “crashworthiness”- the concept that manufacturers must make a vehicle that is reasonably crashworthy. In other words, collisions are foreseeable. Collisions happen every day across the country, and the vehicle manufacturers know collisions will occur. In order to manufacture and sell vehicles, they must be reasonably crashworthy to protect occupants from suffering injuries that wouldn’t have occurred in a crashworthy vehicle, or suffer injuries that are enhanced, or greater than what would have occurred in a crashworthy vehicle. Think about seatbelts and airbags, for instance. These are incorporated into vehicles to offer protection and safety to drivers and occupants in collisions. This article focuses on fuel system crashworthiness. Future articles will address other aspects of crashworthiness.
Crashworthiness is the engineering term for how well a vehicle protects its occupants in a crash. Specifically, fuel system crashworthiness refers to a vehicle’s ability to prevent fuel leakage and fire in the aftermath of a collision. The fuel system includes the gas tank, fuel lines, filler neck, and related components.
When these components rupture or dislodge during a crash, leaked gasoline can ignite in seconds, trapping occupants in a burning vehicle. Even in low-speed crashes, fuel-fed fires can be deadly when design defects are present.
Fuel System Crashworthiness refers to the ability of a motor vehicle’s fuel system to withstand and mitigate damage during a crash, in order to prevent fuel leakage, fires, and explosions that could cause serious injuries or deaths to occupants.
What Is Fuel System Crashworthiness?
In the context of vehicle safety, “crashworthiness” means how well a vehicle protects its occupants in a collision. The fuel system includes components such as the fuel tank, fuel lines, filler neck, and fuel pump. Fuel system crashworthiness is specifically focused on:
- Preventing fuel leakage during and after a crash.
- Reducing the risk of post-collision fires.
- Ensuring fuel system integrity under impact forces, especially in rear-end or rollover crashes.
Why It Matters
Fuel-fed fires are a leading cause of post-crash fatalities. Even if a collision does not cause immediate injuries, fuel system failure can result in fire-related deaths or serious burns. Several landmark cases and safety recalls have involved fuel system defects that compromised crashworthiness.
Legal and Regulatory Framework
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 301 governs fuel system integrity. Key requirements include:
- 49 CFR § 571.301: Sets limits on fuel leakage in various types of crashes (rear, front, lateral impacts).
- Post-crash fuel leakage must not exceed 28 grams per minute and must not occur at all in certain configurations.
Case Law Example
- Grimshaw v. Ford Motor Co., 119 Cal. App. 3d 757 (1981): This was the famous Ford Pinto case. Ford was found liable for defective fuel tank design leading to fire in a rear-end collision. Ford had placed the fuel tank in the extreme rear part of the Pinto- behind the rear axle. This left the vulnerable and potentially deadly fuel tank exposed to a rear-end collision. And Ford and all manufacturers knew that rear end collisions were foreseeable and common. Instead of placing the fuel tank behind the rear axle where it would have had much greater protection through the strength of the axle, Ford left the fuel tank behind nothing more than a bumper and sheet metal. Numerous Pinto drivers and passengers suffered burns and death in an otherwise survivable rear collision because the fuel tank would rupture or leak gasoline from the collision and cause a post collision fire. It turned out that Ford conducted a cost-benefit analysis on fixing the fuel system design on the Pinto, and that it would cost approximately $11.00 per vehicle to fix the fuel tank design. Instead of fixing the fuel system design, Ford determined that it would be more cost effective to pay claims to injured and killed Pinto occupants than to make the $11.00 fix. Ford eventually was forced to recall the Pinto for its faulty and dangerous fuel system.
Common Fuel System Defects Affecting Crashworthiness
- Poor Tank Placement: Near rear bumper or axle increases rupture risk in rear-end crashes. Fuel tanks near sharp edges or other components that can puncture or penetrate the fuel tank in a collision. Other poor locations include fuel tanks being placed outside the vehicle’s frame rails. This poor placement location was common in the GM CK pickups from the 1980’s and early 90’s.
- Weak Filler Necks: Can break loose under impact, releasing fuel.
- Unprotected Fuel Lines: Easily severed during underbody impact or rollovers.
- Lack of Shut-Off Valves: Allows fuel to continue flowing even after crash.
- Inadequate Shielding: No guards to prevent puncture or intrusion from metal components.
Manufacturer Responsibilities
Under the law, manufacturers must design fuel systems that are:
- Crashworthy under foreseeable conditions.
Tested in compliance with FMVSS 301. The Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 301 governs fuel system integrity in the United States. Codified at 49 CFR § 571.301, it sets forth testing procedures and maximum allowable fuel leakage in rear, side, and frontal crashes.
- Free from known defects that could foreseeably lead to fire post-impact.
Failure to do so can result in strict liability, products liability, breach of warranty, negligence claims, and punitive damages in cases of gross disregard for safety.
Legal Strategy Tips
If handling a vehicle fire injury case, initially you must preserve the vehicle. Other considerations include:
- Requesting crash test data from the manufacturer.
- Reviewing recalls or NHTSA investigations related to the model’s fuel system.
- Employing mechanical engineering experts to analyze deformation and fire origin.
- Using accident reconstruction to establish sequence and severity of impact.
- Looking into design alternatives that could have prevented the failure.
Conclusion
Fuel system crashworthiness is not just an engineering challenge—it’s a life-saving imperative. When manufacturers fail to adequately design or test these systems, the legal consequences can be severe. For attorneys representing injured parties, a thorough investigation of the fuel system’s design, testing history, and compliance with federal standards is crucial.
In many cases, the initial crash is survivable—but a defective fuel system turns it into a fatal inferno. Whether you’re litigating against a major automaker or investigating a used vehicle fire, fuel system crashworthiness should never be overlooked.
The case law is clear: manufacturers have a legal duty to design crashworthy fuel systems that meet regulatory standards and industry norms. When they fail, they may be held responsible—not just for the accident, but for every life-altering burn or death that follows.
Need help analyzing a fuel-fed fire case? We work with experienced engineers and have successfully handled catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases involving crashworthiness defects. Contact the Daniels Law Firm for a consultation.
If you or a loved one has suffered injuries or loss due to a vehicle fire following a crash, you may have a claim involving fuel system defects. Our firm has the experience, technical experts, and resources to take on automakers and demand accountability.
📞 Call us today at 479-521-7000
💻 Or schedule a free, confidential consultation at www.danielsfirm.com, or email me anytime at shawn@danielsfirm.com
Let us help you seek justice and financial recovery for what should never have happened.