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On August 17, 2018, NBC2 News reported that there was a car fire in Cape Coral. Authorities rerouted drivers away from the area for about one hour. Although no one was injured in this accident, a Volkswagen bug was completely charred.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has been tracking vehicle fire statistics for close to 30 years. The most recent data, reported in September 2017 for calendar year 2016, showed there were 173,000 highway vehicle fires in the United States, resulting in 280 deaths and 1,075 injuries. This translates to one highway vehicle fire being reported every 3 minutes and 2 seconds.

What causes vehicle fires?

NFPA says that about 49 percent of vehicle fires are caused by mechanical failure or some part of the vehicle malfunctioning, which can be a design flaw or defective part(s). Fifty-eight percent are caused by collisions.

Mechanical failure/Design flaws/Defective parts

Vehicle and part manufacturers are responsible for providing safe vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issues vehicle safety standards and requires manufacturers to recall vehicles that have safety-related defects or vehicles which do not meet Federal safety standards. Here are some examples of fire-related recalls:

• On August 22, 2018, Volkswagen recalled 700,000 Tiguan SUVs and Touran minivans sold around the world before July 5, 2018. Volkswagen said, “There is a possibility of short circuits occurring on some Tiguan models equipped with panoramic sunroofs if water seeps into the LED modules of the ambient lights, and heat could be generated in the headliners.”
• According to the Associated Press, in November 2017, BMW recalled 1.4 million vehicles due to the risk of under-hood fires. In BMW’s announcement, the company said, in an abundance of caution, vehicles should stay outside. The NHTSA said a heater for the positive crankcase ventilation valve can overheat and cause the valve to melt, increasing the risk of a fire even when the vehicle is not in use.

Collisions

Vehicle accidents rank as the number one cause of fires. Just a single spark can start a fire. This can particularly happen if the fuel tank is directly hit, even if modern vehicles have crumple zones to protect gas tanks and other vulnerable areas.

• In April 2018, an 88-year-old man struck another car head-on when he was driving the wrong way on Route 9 in New Jersey. Authorities said the man mistakenly drove north in the southbound lanes. The collision caused one of the vehicles to catch on fire, and both men were injured.

“Vehicle fires are dangerous and often lead to injuries and death. If you or a loved one is injured in a vehicle fire accident, please contact our experienced legal team. We are available 24/7, and there are no costs or attorney fees unless we make a monetary recovery for you,” said Fort Myers Car Accident Attorney, Randall Spivey of Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.

Fort Myers Car Accident Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys. He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida. For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839,or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com. Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information. You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.