Back in July 2023, The Blue Oval loaned a Ford Mustang Dark Horse prototype to Continental Automotive Systems, which operates a test track in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and the Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP) based out of Detroit, which helps organize STEM-related events for young people interested in pursuing that particular type of career. The pony car was used as a demonstrator for the summer camp event, with a test driver behind the wheel – though sadly, it ended in a total disaster that has now led to a new lawsuit.
According to Fox 2 Detroit, the driver of the Ford Mustang Dark Horse prototype lost control when accelerating out of a turn, after which it struck a guardrail which the children were standing behind. The car proceeded to strike several of those young folks – and caused severe injuries to an eight- and ten-year-old, sadly, including broken bones, tinnitus, brain damage, and skull fractures. Since then, a number of civil lawsuits have been filed accusing all involved parties – including Ford – of negligence.
“Our children should be able to go on field trips without the parents having to worry that they will be placed next to a high-speed test car and run over. And that’s what happened here,” Attorney Jon Marko said in a statement. “No one involved in hosting or promoting this demonstration took the simplest steps to keep the kids there safe.” Marko provided footage of the crash from a bystander’s phone, which shows the moment the Mustang lost control and crashed into the barrier, after which children can be heard screaming in the background.
Of these lawsuits – all filed in Oakland County Circuit Court – two were filed on behalf of the children that were seriously injured in the crash, while the third was filed by the father of one of the victims. The parties named in the lawsuit consist not only of Ford Motor Company, but also, the test driver, Continental Automotive Systems, and DAPCEP.
Comments
Ford has no blame here. It is the driver’s fault. If you can sue a brand manufacturer, Toyota would been bankrupted years ago, due to the millions who have been killed by a Toyota vehicle!
What about the school, should they not have checked to see that all safety system’s were in place, and who did the circuit safety check’s, I hold my hand’s up.
Standard legal practice. All parties that may be linked to it are named in the suit.
Ford has the deepest pockets here. They’ll settle out of court and that will be the last loaned vehicle without a lease agreement r transferring ownership and liability while the car is in the possession of the borrower.
If it was a pre-engineering program in the Detroit area I can imagine that Ford was aware of the show and it got their approval.
Is there a design flaw in the Mustang? Years ago the Mustang was labored “kid killer” because of this same acceleration (loss traction) issue.