NHTSA Confirms 11th Death from Ruptured Takata Airbag

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently confirmed another fatality related to defective Takata airbags, raising the U.S. death toll to 11.

Defective Takata airbags are responsible for the largest car safety recall in U.S. history, affecting 69 million airbags in this country and over 100 million units worldwide.

The 11th victim was a 50-year-old female who died after a car crash in Riverside County, California, on Sept. 30.

The 50-year-old was driving a 2001 Honda Civic at about 25 miles per hour when she crashed into a Chevrolet pickup truck as it made a left turn. She died from her injuries after being transported to the hospital.

NHTSA investigators inspected the Honda to confirm that the woman’s death was linked to a defective Takata airbag.

The Honda had been recalled multiple times since 2008, with Honda sending out more than 20 recall repair notices to the registered owners of the car. However, records show that recall repairs were never completed.

The victim of last month’s crash bought the car at the end of 2015, so it is unclear if she knew about the recall notices.

Last month’s death increases the worldwide death toll from Takata airbags to 16, as five people from Malaysia have died from defective Takata airbags.

Takata Airbags at Increased Risk of Rupturing

Last summer, after new data revealed that some airbags had a 50 percent chance of rupturing in a crash, the NHTSA urged the owners of more than 300,000 Hondas and Acuras to stop driving their cars and get them repaired immediately.

When Takata airbags rupture they can spray shrapnel throughout vehicle cabins, potentially injuring or killing drivers or passengers.

Hondas and Acuras that have been recalled include:

• 2001-2002 Honda Civic
• 2001-2002 Honda Accord
• 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL
• 2002 Honda CR-V
• 2002 Honda Odyssey
• 2003 Acura 3.2CL
• 2003 Honda Pilot

Approximately 300,000 of these vehicles still need to be repaired, but the owners of these vehicles have been difficult to reach, according to Honda spokesman Chris Martin.

If you were injured or lost a loved one after a Takata airbag ruptured in a crash, contact our Takata airbag defect attorneys to find out if you can pursue a product liability claim. By reaching out to a Fort Worth injury lawyer at our law firm, we can review the details of your incident and then determine if you have a case.

Contact us today by calling (817) 920-9000 or live chat with a representative.