Driving at night can sometimes be more dangerous than driving during the day. It’s harder to see the roads at night and you have to rely on the headlights. There are even times when a car’s headlights may be too bright.
General Motors has lost a bid to avoid recalling about 727,000 small SUVs in the U.S. with headlight beams that can be too bright and cause glare for oncoming drivers. In 2019, General Motors tried to petition the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in an attempt to avoid recalling their vehicles. They claimed that the lights did not cause a safety problem for surrounding vehicles. The potential recall would affect GMC Terrain SUVs from the 2010 through 2017 model years.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently denied their request in a document posted Thursday on the Federal Register website. In response, General Motors stated that they would review the agency’s decision and decide what to do next from there. It’s likely the company will have to do a recall for not complying with federal safety regulations. In the documents that General Motors had submitted in their petition, they claim that their vehicles’ lights do meet industry standards and that they do not have to be changed. General Motors had said that they have only received one complaint about the headlights. In their decision, the federal agency said that parts of the headlight beam were three times brighter than allowed. That could cause glare or distract drivers of other vehicles. If this is the case, then a recall should happen in the future to prevent an unnecessary accidents and injuries.
If you or a loved one have been affected by an accident or death, contact an experienced personal injury attorney at Hurst Limontes, LLC. We have decades of combined experience fighting for our clients in any number of personal injury claims. Call 317-636-0808 or email us for a FREE and confidential consultation.