Florida death could be 20th in US caused by Takata airbags

MIAMI – A Florida man who was killed in a visitors crash final month could possibly be the twentieth loss of life within the U.S. brought on by exploding Takata airbag inflators.

Authorities say the driving force of a 2006 Ford Ranger pickup truck was killed in a crash final month close to Pensacola, Florida. The driving force’s airbag inflator apparently exploded, spewing shrapnel that hit the unidentified driver, a 23-year-old man.

The U.S. Nationwide Freeway Visitors Security Administration stated Thursday it’s working to verify particulars of the crash earlier than deciding if extra motion is required.

Takata used ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate airbags in a crash. However the chemical can turn out to be extra risky over time when uncovered to moisture within the air and repeated excessive temperatures. The explosion can blow aside a steel canister and hurl shrapnel into the passenger compartment.

Potential for the harmful malfunction led to the most important collection of auto remembers in U.S. historical past, with a minimum of 67 million inflators recalled. The U.S. authorities says that thousands and thousands haven’t been repaired. About 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide.

If the airbag is confirmed because the trigger, the loss of life can be a minimum of the twenty ninth worldwide brought on by the inflators. Many of the deaths have been within the U.S., however in addition they have occurred in Australia and Malaysia.

Based on a Florida Freeway Patrol report, the crash occurred simply earlier than 6 p.m. on July 7 when a white sedan did not yield and pulled out in entrance of the grey pickup truck. “The driving force of the Ford pickup truck died on account of his accidents,” the report stated.

An individual who stated they had been a Florida Freeway Patrol trooper later filed a grievance with NHTSA, saying that the driving force suffered deadly accidents “because of the driver’s facet airbag deployment.” The grievance posted within the company’s database stated the driving force was pronounced lifeless on the scene after a minor visitors crash.

In January of 2016, Ford recalled about 391,000 Rangers within the U.S. and Canada from the 2004 to 2006 mannequin years to switch the driving force’s inflators. Earlier than the Florida crash, two drivers had been killed.

The Ranger within the Florida crash had been recalled and notices had been despatched out, in keeping with Ford spokesman Stated Deep, however repairs weren’t executed. The corporate stated it despatched a consultant to the proprietor’s residence in an effort to schedule recall repairs. Ford is urging all Ranger house owners to get recall repairs executed because of the security danger, Deep stated.

The final loss of life brought on by a Takata airbag occurred in a Honda in Lancaster County, South Carolina in January of 2021.

NHTSA stated automobile house owners ought to go to the company’s web site and key of their 17-digit automobile identification quantity to see if there are any open remembers. The company says folks ought to get the free recall repairs executed as quickly as doable.

The remembers drove Japan’s Takata out of business and felony expenses had been introduced in opposition to the corporate. Ultimately, it was bought by a Chinese language-owned auto components provider.