Question

One of the lessons that we learned from the Ford Pinto case was that:_________

1. You can get away with selling dangerous products to the public without any liability.
2. Sometimes accidents happen and manufacturers have no liability when customers are hurt.
3. You should make changes to a dangerously defective product before you sell them to consumers.
4. You can take your time making changes to products that are dangerous without worrying about incurring additional costs.

Answer 1

Answer: option 3

Step-by-step explanation:

Background to the case:

The cases involving the explosion of Ford Pinto's due to a defective fuel system design led to the debate of many issues, most centering around the use by Ford of a cost-benefit analysis and the ethics surrounding its decision not to upgrade the fuel system based on this analysis.

Basis of analysis:

Should a risk/benefit analysis be used in situations where a defect in manufacturing could lead to seriously bodily harm and even worse death, such as in the Ford Pinto situation?

Rule of the court:

There hasn’t really been a definite decision about the case and arguments both for and against such an analysis have been made. It is an economically efficient method which has been accepted by courts for numerous years, however, juries may not always agree, so companies should take this into account.

Discretion is expected to be used.