- The lawsuit alleges the rear seat belt and passenger seat of the Civic are defective.
- Family claims the seat belt caused catastrophic injuries that killed Jacob L. Swann.
- Driver of the 2017 Honda Civic is also being sued.
It’s estimated that seat belts save more than 15,000 lives each year in the U.S. alone, but according to a newly filed lawsuit, the seat belt of a 2017 Honda Civic caused a fatal injury in a crash.
The lawsuit, recently filed in the Superior Court of Burlington County, New Jersey, says 18-year-old Jacob L. Swann was killed in a crash that occurred on May 27, 2025. Swann was a rear-seat passenger in a Civic that was involved in a serious collision, and the suit claims he was wearing his three-point seat belt.
Read: Failing Front Camera Cost One Honda Owner Nearly $3,000, Lawsuit Says
A police report says the car, which had been driven by teenager Lukas J. Corcoran, crossed the center line on N. Rt. 31 and slammed head-on into a vehicle traveling northbound. The impact left Corcoran and a front-seat passenger with serious injuries and killed Swann.
Lawsuit Claims Honda Civic Was Defective
The lawsuit alleges the 2017 Civic “was defectively designed” and was not reasonably fit, suitable, and safe for its intended purpose. It claims that the rear seat restraint system of the Civic was not crashworthy, defective in design and workmanship, and caused Swann to suffer “dangerous and avoidable localized deceleration of vulnerable portions of his body that led to internal/fatal injuries.”
It’s also claimed that the seat belt system present on the Civic in question experienced excessive web spool-out and that the rear seat “was defectively designed because it did not include an adequate and necessary anti-submarining ramp configuration.” Lawyers for the estate of Swann say Honda knew ─ or should have known ─ the Civic’s design presented an unreasonable risk of causing physical harm in a crash. According to the lawsuit, Honda is “strictly liable to the plaintiffs for the catastrophic injuries and death” of the 18-year-old.
All versions of the 2017 Civic (coupe, sedan, and hatchback) received a five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and, likewise, all body styles were named a 2017 Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial and want compensatory and punitive damages, interest, attorneys’ fees, and any other relief that the court believes is appropriate.
In addition to Honda Motor Company, American Honda Motor, Honda Development & Manufacturing of America, and Honda Canada, the plaintiffs have also named the driver, Lukas J. Corcoran, as a defendant. The lawsuit states the crash occurred because of his “careless operation” of the car and, in accordance with the New Jersey Survival Act and the New Jersey Wrongful Death Act, plaintiffs are seeking compensatory damages from Corcoran.
