DETROIT (AP) — U.S. regulators have linked another death to the dangerous Takata air bag inflators, marking the 28th fatality in the United States. The incident involved a driver in Alabama who lost their life in a Honda vehicle back in 2018. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provided no additional information but emphasized the importance of replacing recalled air bag inflators.
Takata created a small explosion using ammonium nitrate to rapidly inflate air bags during a crash. Unfortunately, this chemical can degrade over time, especially in areas with high heat and humidity, leading to an explosion that can exert too much force. Such explosions can shatter the metal canister of the air bag, sending dangerous shrapnel flying into the passenger compartment. As a result, over 400 people in the U.S. have been injured.
Globally, at least 36 fatalities have occurred due to Takata inflators, with incidents reported in Malaysia, Australia, and the United States.
According to Honda, the Alabama incident took place in Etowah County and involved a high-speed crash with a 2004 Honda Civic, complicating efforts to determine the exact cause of death.
Honda, which has used more Takata air bags in its vehicles than any other automaker, announced that it has replaced or accounted for 95% of the recalled inflators in its cars.
In a statement, Honda continued to stress the urgency for owners of affected Honda and Acura vehicles to have their air bags replaced at an authorized dealership as soon as possible.
For those seeking information about recalls, Honda and Acura owners can visit www.recalls.honda.com and www.recalls.acura.com. They can also visit nhtsa.com/recalls and enter their vehicle identification or license plate numbers.
The risk of malfunctions caused by these inflators has led to the largest vehicle recall in U.S. history, involving at least 67 million Takata inflators. However, the government reports that many vehicles still have not been repaired. Overall, around 100 million inflators have been recalled globally, ultimately causing Takata to go bankrupt.
