RECALL On Amazon Delivery Vans Defective Shift Caused Crashes And Injuries
After receiving several complaints about 2019 Mercedes Sprinter vans, commonly used for Amazon delivery, rolling away after being shifted into Park by the van’s automatic shift feature, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation started investigating the problem behind these rollaway vans.
The defective automatic shift feature has caused at least eight crashes and multiple personal injuries. In one case, a van driver had his legs crushed and suffered chemical and road burns due to a Sprinter van used for Amazon delivery that rolled away while in Park. These issues have gotten so serious that Mercedes issued a recall that affected nearly 50,000 vans.
Click Here to View Video of Rollaway Incident
Mercedes Designed Defective Brakes
Mercedes designed its 2019 Sprinter vans with a feature that should automatically shift the van into Park anytime the driver leaves his seat. Mercedes created this feature to make these vans safer. Instead, Mercedes used brake machinery designed for lighter vehicles. NHTSA has found that some Sprinter vans used for Amazon delivery have rolled away unexpectedly with disturbing frequency, including when the driver has put the van in park or applied the parking brake.
These vans have become safety hazards.
Talk to a Virginia Products Liability Attorney
It is not uncommon for products to malfunction. If you’ve suffered an injury due to a defectively designed or malfunctioning product, including the poorly-designed Mercedes Sprinter van used for Amazon delivery, call the Virginia products liability attorneys at MichieHamlett today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how we can help.
Resources:
Amazon Delivery Drivers Sprint After Rolling Delivery Vans, Safety Rsch. & Strategies, Inc. (Jan. 21, 2022, 4:36 PM), https://www.safetyresearch.net/amazon-delivery-drivers-sprint-after-rolling-delivery-vans/.
Steven Lee, Amazon Delivery Drivers Got a Bit Too Much on Their Mind These Days . . ., YouTube (Jan. 24, 2022, 10:23 AM), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbpYeZLjsWc.
Part 573 Safety Recall Report, Nat’l Highway Traffic & Safety Admin. (Dec. 15, 2021), https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2021/RCLRPT-21V972-4476.PDF.