Randa Abdel-Fattah

Coming up, Nader opens up the dream of the American car and takes a look under the hood.

In the 1950s, the car was becoming as much a symbol of American freedom as the bald eagle.

In the 1950s, the car was becoming as much a symbol of American freedom as the bald eagle.

In the 1950s, the car was becoming as much a symbol of American freedom as the bald eagle.

Ralph Nader was born in 1934.

Ralph Nader was born in 1934.

Ralph Nader was born in 1934.

Nader came of age during the post-war era, a time when peace and economic prosperity collided with looming fears of nuclear war. His parents wanted Nader and his siblings to trust their own instincts instead of blindly accepting what they were told by other authority figures.

Nader came of age during the post-war era, a time when peace and economic prosperity collided with looming fears of nuclear war. His parents wanted Nader and his siblings to trust their own instincts instead of blindly accepting what they were told by other authority figures.

Nader came of age during the post-war era, a time when peace and economic prosperity collided with looming fears of nuclear war. His parents wanted Nader and his siblings to trust their own instincts instead of blindly accepting what they were told by other authority figures.

In the heyday of automobiles, amid all these commercials with gleaming tail fins and chrome bumpers, Nader saw through the romanticism of the open road, straight to its dark underbelly. The American dream was more of an American massacre.

In the heyday of automobiles, amid all these commercials with gleaming tail fins and chrome bumpers, Nader saw through the romanticism of the open road, straight to its dark underbelly. The American dream was more of an American massacre.

In the heyday of automobiles, amid all these commercials with gleaming tail fins and chrome bumpers, Nader saw through the romanticism of the open road, straight to its dark underbelly. The American dream was more of an American massacre.

Fatal car crashes were nearly five times more common back then. And it seemed like everyone knew someone who'd been in a serious accident. But the prevailing narrative was that this was a matter of user error. People were being reckless drivers. And that didn't make sense to Nader. How could it be that commuting to work or going grocery shopping could amount to a death sentence for so many people?

Fatal car crashes were nearly five times more common back then. And it seemed like everyone knew someone who'd been in a serious accident. But the prevailing narrative was that this was a matter of user error. People were being reckless drivers. And that didn't make sense to Nader. How could it be that commuting to work or going grocery shopping could amount to a death sentence for so many people?

Fatal car crashes were nearly five times more common back then. And it seemed like everyone knew someone who'd been in a serious accident. But the prevailing narrative was that this was a matter of user error. People were being reckless drivers. And that didn't make sense to Nader. How could it be that commuting to work or going grocery shopping could amount to a death sentence for so many people?

And when I was at law school... He set out to bust the myth of the open road.

And when I was at law school... He set out to bust the myth of the open road.

And when I was at law school... He set out to bust the myth of the open road.

But that informed consumer citizen first had to be awakened. And so Nader threw up his bat signal to concern consumers across the nation. It came in the form of a book that he started to write after graduating law school. And the book opened with the case of one car in particular.