2013 Toyota Yaris

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA YARIS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THREE DEER JUMPED IN FRONT OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE STRUCK THE DEER AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS SEVERE DAMAGE CAUSED TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE TWO INJURIES REPORTED THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL FOR THE AIR BAGS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,500. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THINKS THAT SHE MUST HAVE HIT A PATCH OF ICE BECAUSE THE CAR SUDDENLY FELT OUT OF CONTROL. THE LAST THING SHE REMEMBERS IS HEADING STRAIGHT TOWARD A GUARDRAIL AND TURNING TO AVOID A COLLISION. THE NEXT THING SHE REMEMBERS IS BEING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED SO BADLY THAT IT WAS TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE LEFT FRONT, LEFT SIDE, AND LEFT REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND TO THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE RIGHT TIRE WAS MISSING AND THE WHEEL RIML WAS BADLY BENT ON 2 SIDES. THE FRAME OF THE CAR WAS BENT ON THE LEFT SIDE, THE LEFT DOOR WAS JAMMED AJAR AND THE HOOD WOULD NOT CLOSE. MY DAUGHTER SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT INJURIES IN THE ACCIDENT. SHE HAD A CONTUSION ON THE L SIDE OF HER HEAD AND A DISC IN HER CERVICAL SPINE WAS HERNIATED AND TOUCHING HER SPINAL CORD. HER FRONT TOOTH WAS BROKEN AND SHE HAD BRUISING ON HER FACE AND HER LEFT HIP. IN ADDITION TO ABOVE, THE ER DOCTOR SAID SHE HAD HAD A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. SHE IS IMPROVING BUT HAS CONTINUED TO HAVE DIFFICULTIES WITH FOCUSING AND SUSTAINING ATTENTION, SHORTTERM MEMORY, INTERMITTENT BLURRED VISION, AND HAS HAD TO DROP OUT OF SCHOOL. THE NEUROSURGEON WHO FOLLOWS HER NOW SAID SHE WILL LIKELY NEED NECK SURGERY IN THE FUTURE. I REPORTED THIS TO TOYOTA SO THEY WOULD BE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT THE AIRBAGS HADN'T DEPLOYED AND THAT THIS MIGHT BE A SAFETY CONCERN IN OTHER 2013 YARIS CARS. THEIR RESPONSE WAS TROUBLING. THEY SEEMED FAR MORE FOCUSED ON AVOIDING A LAWSUIT THAN ON SAFETY CONCERNS. WHEN I CALLED THEM ONE MONTH LATER TO REPORT THAT SHE WAS BETTER AND TO ASK ABOUT FINDINGS, THEY COULDN'T GIVE ANY INFORMATION AS "THE CASE" WAS IN THEIR LEGAL DIVISION. DESPITE THE FACT THAT MY FOCUS WAS ON SAFETY CONCERNS.

OUR DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING OUR 2013 TOYOTA YARIS ON THE HIGHWAY APPROXIMATELY 60-65MPH, HIT A PATCH OF ICE AND SPUN OUT. IT IS UNCLEAR EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT AS SHE HAS NO MEMORY OF WHAT OCCURRED FROM THE TIME THE CAR BEGAN TO SPIN AND WAS HEADED STRAIGHT TOWARD A GUARD RAIL AND THEN HER BEING IN THE CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. IT IS UNCLEAR HOW LONG SHE WAS THERE BEFORE SHE REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS. THE CAR HAS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT FRONT, LEFT FRONT, LEFT SIDE AND LEFT REAR. OUR DAUGHTER SUSTAINED A SEVERE CONCUSSION WITH LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS AND ANTEROGRADE AND RETROGRADE AMNESIA, INJURED HER NECK AND HAS A HERNIATED DISC AT C5-6, BROKE A FRONT TOOTH, AND HAS NUMEROUS CONTUSIONS, INCLUDING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF HER HEAD, LEFT HIP, AND BOTH KNEES. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. SHE WAS WEARING HER SEAT BELT. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT SHE WOULD HAVE SUSTAINED THE INJURIES, OR AT LEAST SUCH SEVERE INJURIES, HAD THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT, AND THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS IN THE CAR. *TR