11 Deaths in the US No Linked to Exploding Takata Airbags
The saga of Takata isn’t going away anytime soon. In late October, ABC News reported that the death of a 50-year-old woman in California back in 2001 was related to exploding Takata airbags. The victim Delia Robles marks the 11th death in the U.S. (16th worldwide) related to the defective part.
Ms. Robles was on her way to get a flu shot when her Honda was hit by a truck. She was going the speed limit and wearing her seatbelt, so under most circumstances, she would have been fine after the impact. Unfortunately, her car had these Takata airbags. Investigators believe that the woman died because the crash triggered the driver side airbag inflators to rupture. The airbag was manufactured by Takata and was subject to the massive recall which affected more than 315,000 Hondas and Acuras manufactured between 2001 and 2003.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) is working hard to get people to come in and have their airbags replaced, but it’s not easy. In the U.S. alone, we’re talking about 69 million airbags that have been recalled. Honda was quick to point out that they mailed more than 20 recall notices over a span of eight years to Ms. Robles, as if that lets them off the hook, but that’s not the issue. The issue is that too many people need new airbags, and not enough replacement airbags have been sent to dealerships and manufacturers. Even if you can get a replacement, it still takes time to actually replace them. Think about it – an oil change takes about 15-20 minutes, right? And that’s pretty simple to do. Replacing all the airbags in your car is going to take considerably longer, and no number of mailed recall notices is going to change that.
We want you to be aware and be prepared
Now we come to the part of the story with a warning for you. If you happen to own a Honda or an Acura with a model year between 2001 and 2013, or any of the dozens of makes and models of vehicles, you must make an appointment to take your vehicle down to the dealership and have your airbags replaced with new ones. Otherwise, you’re driving around in a ticking time bomb.
Don’t know whether your airbags are dangerous? The NHTSA has created an easy-to-use database for automotive recalls at Safercar.gov. Just type in your vehicle’s VIN number, and you will be notified if your vehicle is subject to a recall or if any recall-related repairs have been made on the vehicle in the past 15 years.
If you have been injured in an auto accident, you are encouraged to call the law offices of Bailey & Greer, PLLC. We have a reputation for getting outstanding results for our clients. At Bailey & Greer, PLLC, we fight for your right to fair compensation when you have been injured due to the negligence of another person. Please call 901-680-9777 today or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation with one of our auto accident attorneys at our Memphis or Jackson office.
Since graduating magna cum laude in 2005 from the University of Memphis School of Law, Thomas has helped make a difference in the lives of victims of serious personal injury, wrongful death, and professional negligence. Thomas has extensive trial experience in both state and federal court. Among other victories in the courtroom, Thomas obtained several impressive jury verdicts and settlements
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