US Confirms 28th Death Linked to Exploding Air Bag Inflators

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Tuesday confirmed a 28th fatality linked to Takata air bags that have exploded.
According to the NHTSA, the victim, whose identity has not been disclosed, was driving a Honda in 2018 in Alabama when killed.
“Based on new information submitted by the vehicle manufacturer about a previously reported crash, NHTSA is confirming a 28th death from a rupturing Takata air bag inflator in the United States. The agency’s deepest sympathies go to the family for their loss, and we continue our efforts to prevent all such tragedies. This incident underscores the importance of replacing every recalled Takata air bag,” the NHTSA said in an emailed statement to Newsweek.
In addition, Honda said in a statement that the victim was driving a 2004 Honda Civic in Etowah County when the airbag deployed during a high-speed crash.
Takata, the now-bankrupt Japanese company responsible for manufacturing these airbags, utilized ammonium nitrate to trigger the small explosions necessary for airbag deployment during collisions. However, exposure to high heat and humidity can cause the chemical to degrade over time, leading to uncontrolled explosions that can rupture the inflator’s metal casing.
Honda, which installed more Takata airbags in its vehicles than any other automaker, said that the company reported that 95 percent of the recalled inflators in its vehicles have been replaced or accounted for, but the risk remains for those who have not yet addressed the recall.
“Honda continues to urge owners of Honda and Acura vehicles affected by the Takata air bag inflator recalls to get their vehicles repaired at an authorized dealership as soon as possible,” the company stated.
For those concerned, Honda and Acura owners can verify whether their vehicles are part of the recall by visiting www.recalls.honda.com or www.recalls.acura.com. The NHTSA also offers a recall search tool at www.nhtsa.com/recalls, where vehicle owners can input their vehicle identification or license plate numbers to check for any outstanding recalls.
Newsweek reached out to Honda via email on Tuesday for comment.
This fatal incident adds to the largest series of automotive recalls in U.S. history, with at least 67 million Takata inflators recalled nationwide and over 100 million worldwide.
This is also not the first time in recent months that the NHTSA has issued a public statement after air bags were linked to deaths or injuries.
Following a string of deaths and severe injuries, the NHTSA warned drivers in July about faulty replacement air bag inflators in used cars.
The warning concerns “cheap, substandard replacement air bag inflators” in used cars that can cause death or serious injury in a crash, according to a statement from the NHTSA.
The message was released after three people had been killed and two suffered severe injuries due to “faulty aftermarket replacement air bag inflators.”
According to the NHTSA, the vehicles in all five instances had previously been involved in a crash, and the original air bags were replaced. The agency said inadequate replacements can lead to large metal fragments being sent into drivers’ chests, necks, eyes and faces during traffic accidents.
In May, Nissan told owners of nearly 84,000 vehicles manufactured between 2002 and 2006 not to drive their cars due to concerns over exploding Takata air bags.
The warning was for 2002-2006 Nissan Sentras, 2002-2004 Nissan Pathfinders and 2002-2003 Infiniti QX4s. These models are reportedly equipped with Takata air bags that can explode upon deployment.
“Due to the age of the vehicles equipped with defective Takata airbag inflators, there is an increased risk the inflator could explode during an airbag deployment, propelling sharp metal fragments which can cause serious injury or death,” Nissan said on the recall page on its website.