The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has begun an investigative probe into Hyundai cars after complaints that passenger seat belts detached.

Two complaints were made alleging that the passenger side seatbelt became detached from the car running board, and one of the complaints was made after a claimant suffered injuries from a road traffic accident.

It’s not known how serious the injuries were, but medical attention was reported to be have been required.

It goes without saying that this is a serious concern that has been raised.

What happened?

A car had run a red light and hit the complainant’s Hyundai Sonata at 45m/h. Whilst the front and side air bags inflated as expected, the passenger side seat belt broke loose.

The defect was not replicated on the driver’s side and appeared to be fully functioning.  The driver weighed approximately 19 stone whilst the passenger weighed only 7.8 stone, so since the weight and impact at the seatbelt user wasn’t the problem, concerns are that the seatbelt itself is defective.

Regulators are currently investigating the issue and are considering whether or not a recall needs to be issued.

Responsibility

It is a car manufacturer’s responsibility to make sure that all vehicles they produce are roadworthy and safe. Cars are a part of most of our lives, and there are millions on our roads, and millions of people who use them. We’re so used to them that we can sometimes forget how dangerous they are as a mechanised block of metal that weighs around a tonne and travels legally of speeds up to 70mph.

Over the years they have been in use, seatbelts have proved vital for car safety and saving lives. The occasionally uncomfortable mechanism can stop the user from lurching forward and smashing their heads onto the windscreen or into the back of a head board. No matter how innovative new cars are, with their special features and the like, some things should not be altered at any cost.

Over 313,000 cars may be affected if a recall is made. For the reasons above, a recall is not to be sniffed at, and it will no doubt be at a huge cost to Hyundai.  Depending on how the investigations go, Hyundai may be facing huge fines too.