New Mazda Sedan Aces Safety Test

Horsepower, a sleek exterior and the latest bells and whistles are all well and good, but safety is still the top priority for many new car buyers.  And rightly so: Some 40,000 people are killed in car accidents each year.

There’s good news for car shoppers.  A New Mazda model just aced the notoriously strict safety test from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  The Mazda3 sedan and hatchback earned “top safety pick” awards from the non-profit organization.

“Mazda constantly has an eye on the future, and we are dedicated to providing our drivers with advanced vehicles that build driver confidence,” Mazda President Jeff Guyton said in a statement announcing the award.

The cars earned “good” ratings on a wide range of crash tests, including overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint examinations.  Their headlights were also deemed acceptable, often a high bar in IIHS safety tests.

The IIHS is a non-profit group created by auto insurance providers to perform research and testing aimed at reducing car crashes.  Its tests are generally considered more difficult that those conducted by the federal government though the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

How California Law Safeguards Car Owners, Lessors

The Mazda3 test results show the company is making headway in its efforts to keep drivers and passengers safe on the road.  But Mazda and other auto makers still have a long way to go.

NHTSA is currently investigating Mazda CX-9 sport utility vehicles for a side airbag problem that causes airbags to inadvertently deploy.  Although the company said it is not aware of any instances in which a person was injured as a result of the defect, the issue raises significant safety concerns.

The fact is that many cars leave the factory with significant manufacturing and design defects. Those defects put everyone on the road at risk.

Fortunately, the California lemon law offers some protections for buyers and lessors who are stuck with a malfunctioning vehicle.  The Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act requires a car maker to perform various repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty.  The manufacturer is obligated to take the car back and reimburse the owner or lessor—it can also offer to replace the vehicle—if it is unable or unwilling to repair the car.  The number of times that the manufacturer must try to repair the car before that obligation kicks in depends on the circumstances.

The lemon law also requires the manufacturer to cover any legal costs you incur in enforcing your rights.

Talk to a California Lemon Law Attorney

The California Lemon Law lawyers at the Bickel Law Firm have represented hundreds of clients in defective vehicle cases across the state.  We have a strong record of success for the people that we represent and we do not charge upfront fees in most cases.

Our offices are conveniently located in San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco.  Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with an attorney.