The ongoing saga of Takata airbag inflators continues to unfold with tragic consequences. A recent announcement by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that a 28th death in the United States has been linked to a faulty Takata inflator. This latest fatality underscores the persistent danger posed by these ticking time bombs, even years after the initial recalls began.
The victim, the driver of a 2004 Honda Civic, was killed in a crash in Alabama back in 2018. The NHTSA investigation determined that the driver's death was directly caused by the deployment of a defective Takata airbag inflator. This marks the 20th Takata-related fatality involving a Honda or Acura vehicle in the United States alone. Globally, the death toll attributed to faulty airbag inflators has surpassed 36, with additional fatalities confirmed in countries such as Malaysia and Australia.
While Honda has suggested that the high speed of the 2018 crash in Etowah County may have complicated the investigation into the cause of death, the underlying issue remains clear: the Takata airbag inflators are inherently dangerous. These inflators contain ammonium nitrate, a chemical that can degrade over time, particularly in hot and humid environments. When the airbag deploys in a crash, the excessive force can cause the metal canister to rupture, sending shrapnel flying through the vehicle interior. This has resulted in not only fatalities but also hundreds of injuries.
The Takata airbag recall, one of the largest in automotive history, has involved the recall of over 100 million vehicles worldwide, including 67 million in the United States. Honda, a major user of Takata airbags, has replaced or accounted for more than 95% of the recalled inflators in its vehicles. However, despite these efforts, the risk remains.
Honda continues to urge owners of affected vehicles to seek repairs at an authorized dealership as soon as possible. The company emphasizes the urgency of addressing this safety issue, as the Takata airbag crisis has proven to be a persistent and deadly problem. As time goes on, the number of vehicles with potentially defective inflators on the road may dwindle, but the memory of the victims and the ongoing threat posed by these devices serve as a stark reminder of the importance of automotive safety and the consequences of neglecting recalls.