In the wake of the recent expansion of Takata airbag recalls to include roughly 33.8 million vehicles made by 11 automakers, a group of U.S. senators has accused Takata of valuing their own profits over the safety of millions of drivers and passengers.
According to a recent article appearing in the San Diego Union Tribune, Democratic members of the Senate Commerce Committee cited internal Takata emails showing that budget cuts led to the cessation of all global audits from 2009 to 2099 when they made this accusation. “The more evidence we see, the more it paints a troubling picture of a manufacturer that lacked concern,” Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, the committee’s ranking Democrat, said in a statement.
The lawmakers received the report in preparation for a committee hearing about the Takata airbag recall issue. To date, at least eight deaths and 105 injuries have been tied to defective Takata airbags, which can explode so forcefully that they fill vehicle cabins with deadly shrapnel.
The report also shows that shortly after global audits were resumed, a safety officer at a Takata factory in Mexico pointed out the fact that improper construction of airbag propellant capsules and improper storage of materials could lead to serious problems. Additionally, the report authors blamed the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for delayed investigations into early Takata airbag defect reports. They also expressed suspicions about the safety of replacement parts made to fix defective airbags.
The issue of potentially fatal defects in Takata airbags has been known and discussed for more than ten years, yet Takata recalls did not hit the 33.8 million vehicle mark until the company finally bowed to pressure from the U.S. government late last month. This is now the largest automotive recall in the history of the country, and many experts say it’s not over yet.
If you or someone you love has been injured or suffered a tragic wrongful death due to a defective Takata airbag explosion, you could be entitled to substantial compensation for your pain, expenses, and other damages. Contact a personal injury lawyer you can trust to learn more about your rights.
