What Happened:
Though everyone knows that airbags can save lives and, in a wreck, are often essential safety devices, many may not realize the extent to which airbags have become a safety problem in recent years. The problems caused by airbags are revealed in the rising number of airbag-related recalls announced by automakers.
So far this year both Honda and Toyota have launched airbag-related recalls that cover 1.5 million cars. This follows 2012, which saw a record-setting 22 airbag-related recalls spread across 18 different car brands. Since 2011, airbag recalls have affected nearly 7.75 million cars, more than the total number of cars affected by such recalls in the previous eight years combined.
The problem seen in many of the recalls is that in today’s cars there are more and more airbags that are more and more complicated. This increase in number and sophistication has led to a host of recalls as automakers try and ensure everything is working properly.
The issue is not whether airbags save lives, a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration showed that in one year airbags typically save upwards of 2,700 lives. The problem, in the case of many of these recalls, is making sure the airbags will inflate when they’re supposed to and that they do not inflate when they aren’t.
Such worries were behind both Honda’s and Toyota’s recent recalls. Honda recalled a little less than 750,000 Pilots and Odysseys after reports of missing rivets on airbag covers which can lead to driver injuries. Toyota’s recalls were because of a circuitry problem which could lead to the airbags accidentally deploying.
The Virginia Injury Attorney’s Perspective:
Though it’s always good to see a company take the step of warning consumers about possible dangers associate with its products, the recall by the Toyota distributor raises some serious questions about why the improperly assembled vehicles were allowed to be sold in the first place.
Attorneys with our Virginia (VA) personal injury law firm have helped several victims of dangerous and defective products recover damages from companies whose negligence or disregard for consumer safety led to injuries. Contact us if this or any other recalled product has jeopardized your safety.
Helpful Info:
Defective and dangerous products come in all shapes and sizes, from cars to cribs and everything in between. If you or a family member has been injured, sickened or killed by an unsafe product, you can begin to learn about your legal rights and options by reading this article.
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For those who have been injured by a dangerous or defective product, there are likely many questions that need to be answered. Our firm has a library of attorneys’ answers to frequently asked questions regarding recalled products which can help provide some much needed background information on what is a very complicated subject.
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