Drivers in Texas, Louisiana, Other Gulf States in Danger as Deadly Airbag Recall Expands

Houston, TX (Law Firm Newswire) January 5, 2015 – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is urging drivers in hot and humid areas to take action immediately if their car is subject to the Takata airbag recall.

According to releases from the NHTSA, cars by BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota may need to have their airbags replaced.

In October, a woman in Florida died of wounds caused by shrapnel that exploded out of one of the faulty Takata airbags in her Honda Accord. The NHTSA has issued its urgent warning to drivers in limited areas, including zones right near the Gulf of Mexico and islands such as Guam and Hawaii. Automakers such as Toyota have followed suit in issuing warnings to drivers in these areas.

But not everyone agrees that the actions taken by the automakers or the NHTSA are sufficient.

“By adhering to the bare minimum of the NHTSA guidelines, automakers are creating serious risk and serious liability,” said Houston personal injury attorney Richard LaGarde, who works throughout both Texas and Louisiana. “It is ludicrous to limit the recall to drivers who live in specific zones right on the Gulf. A lot of people regularly drive to many different areas in these states. And it gets hot and humid in a lot of places.”

Federal lawmakers are publicly demanding that the NHTSA require a nationwide recall of all cars with the faulty airbags. Some automakers are expanding their recalls across the country, but Takata, the manufacturer of the bags themselves, continues to resist government urging. In early December, Takata stated that the NHTSA has no authority to mandate a national recall of their product.

In 2010, a young woman in Georgia was severely injured when her air bag spontaneously deployed and shot metal shrapnel into her neck, puncturing her carotid artery. Experts estimate that the airbags have killed 4 people and injured nearly 100. According to a PBS News report, up to 30 million vehicles in the United States may be equipped with the Takata airbag.

The NHTSA provides information on their website about how drivers can find out if their car is subject to a recall, and what to do if it is.

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