A Floresville teen was killed Monday afternoon when she crashed her pickup and was ejected from the vehicle, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Marisol Silva, 18, was southbound on U.S. 181, just a few miles north of Floresville, when she ran off the left side of the roadway and overcorrected, causing the truck to overturn, according to authorities. She was wearing her seatbelt but was ejected from the truck, authorities said. She was declared dead at the scene of the accident around 3:42 p.m., according to DPS officials. Silva was the only person in the vehicle. It was unknown why she drove off the road, which caused her to overcorrect the vehicle
When investigating and pleading a design defect seatbelt case, it is critical to be current on what safer alternative designs were available when the vehicle was manufactured. There are multiple safer alternative designs on the market that can alleviate spooling–the release of slack into a seatbelt. Some automobile manufacturers incorporate more than one retractor into their seatbelt systems in case one fails. Rollover fired seatbelt pretensioners were developed in the past ten years to address many of the retractor issues related to rollovers. They are activated when a rollover is sensed and automatically pull in and lock the seatbelt. Seat integrated, or All-Belts to Seats, systems are systems where the seatbelt housing is located in the seat and not the B-Pillar. Also, Web-Grabbers help alleviate the chances of spooling. All of these are safer alternative designs that help to significantly reduce occupant excursion in a collision event.
If someone you know was injured or killed as the result of a rollover accident, seatbelt failure, or automotive defect, encourage them to immediately contact a competent attorney for advice. It is extremely important to do this quickly to ensure that evidence is preserved, statements are taken, and the rights of all potential plaintiffs are protected.
