The defective Takata airbags that have, to date, killed 8 people and injured at least 100 still remain in the vast majority of affected vehicles in the U.S., reports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
In fact, according to regulators, who announced the Takata airbag recall back in November 2014, only about 4.4 million of the impacted 23.4 million vehicles in the U.S. equipped with these defective airbags have been fixed so far.
This has prompted regulators to schedule a progress and planning meeting for this fall. Open to the public, this meeting will focus on laying out some plans for improving the advancement of this recall and, in doing so, better protecting the public from a potentially fatal airbag malfunction.
Why Has the Takata Airbag Recall Been Issued?
vehicles in the U.S., here’s what you should
know about the progress of this recall, a
St Louis car accident lawyer explains.
The recalled Takata airbags contain defective inflators that can rupture and fire small metal fragments out at explosive speeds. This has had an effect similar to shrapnel, tearing through airbags and putting vehicle occupants at risk of serious, if not fatal, injuries.
Is My Vehicle Affected?
You can see a full list of the affected vehicles here. It’s important to point out that vehicles from 11 different car makers have been impacted and that the affected vehicles span a wide range of years, as well as makes and models. So, if you own more than one vehicle, you may have multiple affected cars.
More Important Info about the Takata Airbag Recall
- Humidity is a known contributor to Takata airbag malfunctions – In other words, people living in more humid regions of the U.S. (like in the south) will generally face the greatest risk of a rupture/airbag malfunction. Consequently, regulators are considering these people/regions of the U.S. to be the highest priority for airbag repair (at this time).
- Takata may have been aware of its airbag problems for a while – Currently, NHTSA investigators are looking into how much Takata knew about its defective airbags before regulators were made aware of these problems.
- Avoid driving your car if it has a defective airbag – In fact, the NHSTA has recommended that people who have vehicles with faulty Takata airbags should avoid driving their vehicles if their driver’s side airbag is affected. Instead, regulators recommend carpooling, using public transportation or renting a vehicle until the airbags have been fixed.
Contact a St Louis Car Accident Lawyer at Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law
If you have been hurt by a faulty Takata airbag or by any vehicle equipment malfunction, contact a St Louis auto accident & personal injury lawyer at Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law today. We have a long-standing commitment to serving our clients, and we are experienced at aggressively defending our clients’ rights in any legal setting. Our goal is to preserve and promote the rights and welfare of people harmed by negligence so they can succeed in their financial recovery.
To learn more about how we can help you, attend a free, no obligations initial consult with one of our lawyers. You can schedule this meeting by calling us at 573-333-3333 for our Missouri office or at 618-888-8888 for our Illinois office. You can also email us using the form at the right-hand side of the screen.
