Car Accident Attorney – Defective Airbags
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a consumer advisory on October 20, 2014, urging owners of numerous models of Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mazda, BMW and GM vehicles to heed recall notices immediately. The vehicles listed in the consumer advisory were recalled because they may contain defective Takata made airbags, which have caused several deaths around the country. The faulty airbags essentially explode at the time of a crash because the propellant inside the airbag burns too hot, ruptures its container, and sends metal parts flying into the face and chest of the very person it is intended to protect. According to The New York Times, the wounds from the defective airbags resemble stab wounds.
The problem is so bad that Toyota is warning owners of the vehicles listed in the recall not to allow passengers to ride in the front seat. While Honda does not have the parts it needs to fix the problem and make its cars safe for occupants. Apparently, Honda is only sending out recall warnings as the parts to fix the problem become available.
It is unclear whether the problem only occurs in high humidity areas; however, high humidity areas have taken priority on the recall list.
From a legal standpoint, Takata and the applicable car manufacturer will probably point the finger at each other, which could actually make litigation favorable for the plaintiff. Some important questions in any litigation about this major safety issue will be whether the car manufacturer and Takata knew about the defect, and for how long, how swift was the recall, and whether current warnings are adequate. What kind of testing did Takata do on the airbags? It would definitely be interesting to see the communications between the airbag manufacturer and the car manufacturer in connection with the defective airbags. Either way, from a products liability standpoint, we all know that something designed to protect should not become something that kills.
One thing is for sure: if you own a vehicle on the recall list, make sure to immediately send your vehicle in for the necessary repairs! Protect yourself, your family and your friends by not allowing anyone to ride in the front seat until you take your car to be repaired. Of course, if there is a faulty airbag on the driver’s side, the driver will not be protected until the necessary fix is implemented. Go to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website at www.nhtsa.gov and search for the recall list to see if your vehicle could contain a defective airbag.
If you were injured in an accident, and need to speak to a car accident attorney, call us today. One of our car accident attorneys will give you a free consultation.
