Honestly after looking at the pictures, accident report and other evidence I find it very hard to blame the bumper on the tragic event that happened. First the accident took place here: https://www.google.com/maps/place/45...!3m1!1s0x0:0x0 where somebody was turning around in the middle of the road. Second the 2003 - 2007 Honda Accord has very poor ratings in crash analysis according to autoblog.com 2006 Honda Accord Crash Test Ratings and IIHS Vehicle details recieving a Marginal for its safety cage and poor for its overall rating on head restraints and seats. I do believe that the driver of the Jeep was probably going too fast but having been in a close encounter myself and having very soft tires I was unable to get my car to actually skid or lock up. Lastly that Jeep is a TJ which had a fairly poor crumple zone and sturdy bumper to begin with. I think that all this combines to show that just stating that the blame is on an aftermarket part is a little premature.

I know that this makes me sound quite callous to the situation and while I wish that there was a different outcome I hope that people can look beyond throwing blame and really address the issues of distracted driving, driving with a controlled substance and other factors that played into the issue. My thoughts are with the families of the deceased and injured kids as well as the victims themselves, I hope their emotional and physical wounds will heal.

 

Anytime a young life is ended it is of course a tragedy. After the sadness has passed for the local community, some hungry trial lawyer is going to take advantage of the very acute pain the families of these children are still dealing with. Finding fault will be the utmost priority for the lawyer. Of course the lawyer will go after the aftermarket bumper. Then the Jeep's bumper height will come into the argument. The lawyer will paint a picture that this Jeep owner, and all Jeep owners by proxy, are reckless and selfish people and that given the assortment of aftermarket mods available, we're encouraged to put others at risk to satisfy our own macho brawniness. The very important point that must be made is that 1) Jeeps aren't alone in the mods department. 2) P/U trucks are routinely lifted many inches higher than Jeeps. 3) Hondas and Honda owners have their own mods community where lowering the car is encouraged. 4) Overall, cars, in an effort to squeeze out every mile of efficiency, have gotten smaller, lower, and lighter over the years. Of course, given the power of the tree hugging, green movement, Smart Car loving, Prius propagating media, Jeep owners will certainly be painted in a negative light. One has to wonder, since the Jeep owner didn't notice that Honda was stopped, did the Honda's brake lights even work?

 

Didn't know you could be charged with homicide because someone was stopped on a highway

 

It's tragic. Stinger or not. And the likely causes were speed or negligence. Doesn't bring life back. Regardless of what brand you drive, you need to realize everything you do or don't do on the road could cost another driver or your life.

 

It wasn't the modified bumper on the Jeep that killed the teens. It was the Tailgating driver of the Jeep that Killed them. Jeeps and off road mods don't do anything. They, like guns, are inanimate objects incapable of any active behavior. They only do what the humans make them do.

 

Negligent homicide or vehicular manslaughter. Yea I've almost been there unfortunately.

 

Stopping in the road suicide. The lawyers must have defined it wrong.