Car Accident, Air Bag Explosion Causes Tragic Death of Teen Driver
A motor vehicle accident in Fort Bend County, Texas resulted in the death of a 17-year-old driver. According to authorities, the teen driver, a high school senior, was killed when the air bag in her 2002 Honda Civic ruptured.
The air bag was one of millions of air bags produced by the Takata Corporation and recalled in 2011. Since that time, there have been 10 deaths, and more than 100 injuries, in the U.S. that were caused by the defective auto part, with another person dying in a car accident in Malaysia. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nine of the deaths were caused by air bags in Honda vehicles.
The fatal accident in Texas has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the product recall. A Fort Bend County Sheriff’s deputy noted that “everybody would have walked away” from the rear-end crash without catastrophic injury if the air bag had not exploded. According to the deputy, the car accident itself could be classified as “moderate.” The exact cause of the victim’s death was shrapnel that flew from the car’s Takata air bag and cut her neck.
The air bags in cars like the victim’s vehicle reportedly have a tendency to explode upon impact and spray shrapnel into vehicle drivers and passengers. The defect that causes the explosions stems from the deterioration of a chemical in the air bag inflators.
The failure of the auto manufacturers to complete repairs and replacements on the faulty car parts has prompted criticism from auto safety officials. For example, a spokesperson for the NHTSA recently said that the affected car companies must “get creative and more aggressive about how they’re reaching these vehicle owners.”
To learn more, check out the Yahoo.com article, “Teenage Girl Killed by Exploding Takata Air Bag in Texas.”
If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective auto part, you need to speak with a qualified, aggressive personal injury and product liability lawyer today. The experienced personal injury and auto accident attorneys at the LaDuca Law Firm can help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us now to schedule a free consultation at our office in Rochester, New York.
