Air Bag Recall Trends Continue To Rise
An unfortunate trend in motor vehicle recalls, faulty air bags have already caused two major recalls in 2013. Toyota Motor Corp. announced the recall of 887,709 vehicles (2003 and 2004 Toyota Corollas, Matrixes and Pontiac Vibes), over a faulty circuit board which can cause the airbag to accidentally deploy. Honda recalled 748,481 vehicles (2009 to 2013 model year Pilot SUVs and 2011 to 2013 Odyssey minivans) because of missing rivets on the air bags’ covers, which could harm the driver when the air bag deploys. These two recalls cover 1.5 million vehicles.
This trend seems to be continuing from 2012, a record year for air bag recalls—22 recalls involving 18 brands—but the problem isn’t the air bags themselves. The problem appears to be the increased use and number of air bags in vehicles; they’re now used in new places inside cars, and are more sophisticated. The 2013 Dodge Dart has ten air bags; the new Toyota RAV4 has eight. Both of these changes (the number and placement of air bags) mean more vehicle recalls—7.75 million since 2011. This figure is higher than the last eight years worth of recalls combined.
Air bags do save lives; a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study showed air bags saved 2,788 lives in a year. Most of the current safety concerns are whether they’ll inflate when needed, and whether they’ll cause unrelated injuries to drivers and passengers. Last November Chrysler recalled 744,822 Jeeps for inadvertent air bag deployments; out 126 incidents, 59 injuries were reported. One of the biggest problems is air bag inflation when there’s been no accident, another is premature inflation. Of the technology involved in air bags and their sensors, Sean Kane of Safety Research & Strategies had this to say: “You are relying on millions of lines of codes to make decisions within milliseconds,” Kane says. With all the potential problems, some airbags have the possibility to “create more injuries than they can prevent.”
If you or someone you care for has suffered an injury as a result of negligence, you have options. Contact 844 See Mike, at 312-224-4695 for a free consultation. We are a Chicago injury law firm representing individuals and families who have suffered an injury or loss due to an accident. 844 See Mike, will handle your personal injury case quickly, will advise you every step of the way, and will not hesitate to go to trial for you.
Lastly, 844 See Mike, does not get paid attorney’s fees unless we win your case. Our no-fee promise is that simple. Therefore, you have nothing to risk when you hire us–just the opportunity to seek justice.