The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced defective Takata airbag inflators have now been linked to 28 fatalities in the U.S., with the most recent death occurring in a 2018 crash in Alabama.
The inflators can explode and propel metal shrapnel at vehicle occupants even in minor crashes.
This latest confirmation involves a Honda vehicle, highlighting a particularly troubling aspect of the recall: the involvement of popular models millions of Americans drive daily. Honda, which has confirmed 20 U.S. deaths associated with its vehicles equipped with Takata inflators, said it has replaced or accounted for more than 95% of the defective devices in its cars and remains diligent in tracking down the remainder.
The recall, the largest in U.S. history, has seen more than 67 million vehicles in the U.S. and more than 100 million globally needing airbag replacements due to the risk posed by the faulty inflators. The airbag propellant can degrade after long-term exposure to high temperatures and humidity, leading to violent ruptures upon deployment.
The NHTSA has emphasized the severity of the risk, noting that even "minor crashes can result in exploding Takata airbags that can kill or produce life-altering, gruesome injuries." As a result, they, along with several automakers, have urged owners of older vehicles to avoid driving them until the defective airbags are replaced.
