Ford has announced it will supply its law-enforcement customers driving
Crown Victoria patrol cars with gas-tank shields and trunk equipment to
make the cars safer in rear-end collisions. This is in response to the
fact that 12 police officers have been killed in recent years when the
gas tank was punctured and caught fire, after being rear-ended in a
high-speed crash.
However, safety advocates are calling for a more thorough solution
to what they consider to be an unsafe design on police cars and
civilian Crown Victorias. They also want all 2 million Victorias
recalled. The models are popular with trailerists who prefer a
read-wheel-drive car for towing.
Crown Victoria gas tanks are mounted behind the rear axle. Lincoln
Town Car, Mercury Grand Marquis and Ford Mustang all have similar
designs. The only new cars sold today with a tank mounted aft of the
rear axle besides Ford are the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Liberty and
Wrangler.
