$9 Auto Fuel Tank Safety Improvement Could Have Saved Family From Burns
In 1993, Patricia Anderson and her four children were rear ended in their Chevy Malibu. The impact caused the fuel tank to leak, and the gas ignited setting the car ablaze. Everyone in the car was seriously burned, with 3 of the 4 children sustaining burns over 60% of their body.
The subsequent lawsuit revealed that the fuel tank design on the car was unreasonably dangerous. GM could have designed a safer fuel tank for $8.59 per car, but decided for a cheaper design. A GM memo used at the trial estimated that post-collision fuel tank fires would cost GM $2.40 per car, estimating that each human life "has a value of $200,000."
In essence, for an extra $6 per car profit, GM was willing to let its consumers occasionally burn to death in post-collision fuel tank
fires.
Read more here.