When a Product Recall Fails
Three years after a government-mandated recall of faulty Takata air bags, close to 17 million drivers reportedly remain at risk. This was discovered thanks to an annual report by the government and a court-appointed monitor, which showed that one-third of the recalled air bags still need to be replaced.
Takata air bags use the chemical ammonium nitrate to trigger the small explosion that inflates them. However, the chemical has been shown to actually cause larger explosions and is responsible for hundreds of injuries and at least 23 deaths worldwide. As the chemical deteriorates over time, it becomes more volatile and dangerous, according to the news story.
Nineteen automakers are involved in the recalls, including Toyota, the manufacturer featured in our 2018 report on air bag malfunctions. While air bag replacement rates increased 30 percent last year, safety advocates note that there is still much to be done, especially given the fact that an additional 10 million air bag inflators were recalled in January 2019, according to the article.
Visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls or www.AirbagRecall.com to find out if your air bags are part of the recall. Of course, if you or someone you love was injured by a faulty air bag or other product malfunction, contact an experienced in product liability cases to discuss your legal rights.