Vehicle fires are a major cause of death in this country and sadly, the number of cases my firm handles is steadily increasing. In 2002, 565 deaths were attributable to vehicle fires in the U.S. In that year, 329,500 vehicle fires were reported. Statistics show more people die from vehicle fires than apartment fires!

Here are some basic facts from the U.S. Fire Administration:

1. Mechanical or design problems are the leading cause of vehicle fires.
2. Electrical wiring and fuel are the leading forms of material ignited in vehicle fires.
3. Fires following a collision are the leading cause of vehicle deaths.

Some of the most tragic cases I have dealt with have been vehicle fires. Two of these cases involve 16-year-old children tragically killed in separate vehicle fires. These families were put in a situation that they did not want to be in and frankly the price for entry was something they never expected to pay. The loss of a child is a horrible event.

Deaths from vehicle fires are more common than you think. This is an area in which I wish I never had to try a case. According to many experts, vehicle fires are avoidable. However, due to substantial lobbying from the automobile industry, only minimal regulations and standards exist. The National Highway Traffic & Safety Administration (NHTSA) is authorized to set minimum standards for vehicles and in my opinion that is all they do -- the minimum. Since 1996, NHTSA has only issued four fire safety standards for new vehicles: Federal Motor Vehicle Standard 301 deals with fuel leakage and 302 deals with flammability standards for materials used in driver and passenger area of a vehicle. Other than these two safety standards, very little has been done to reduce vehicle fires.

Automobile design experts say this is unacceptable. These experts indicate there is substantial knowledge in the automobile industry that could virtually eliminate vehicle fires. Despite what is shown in movies, vehicles are not supposed to burst into flames and vehicle explosions should not occur. Gasoline tanks can be designed to avoid fires. Fuel pumps can be designed to stop leakage after a collision. Materials used to build vehicles can be fire-retardant. Most experts indicate that through design, the automobile industry can produce more fire-safe automobiles. One sad statistic is that most fire deaths occur in fires following survivable collisions.

Attached to this website is a links page. I encourage anyone interested in this subject to go to these web pages. This website is designed to bring to the attention of the public the issue of vehicle fires. However, the primary purpose is honor my clients. These people have suffered the unimaginable loss of a loved one due to vehicle fires.

I practice in this area of the law. Some people who visit this website may become clients. Therefore, I encourage you to read the disclaimers found on a separate page of this site. The Alabama State Bar requires these disclaimers be on every form of communication that could possibly be used to solicit business. I also encourage you to visit my website for more information.