Seattle Injury Blog
Safety recalls are issued often. And yet, many drivers remain unaware of the risks associated with their vehicles.
One of the most dangerous and concerning auto recalls in recent history impacts millions of vehicles nationwide. But the recall had to be split in several campaigns as companies were not able to get their hands on replacement parts quickly enough. These campaigns all had one thing in common, however. That’s the presence of air bag modules fitted with metal parts that could explode in the event of a collision.
Since many cars have yet to be recalled or at least, fixed, federal regulators are urging caution.
Impacted Cars Could Put Anyone At Risk Of Severe Injuries
U.S. auto safety regulators claim that the 2006 Ford Rangers and Mazda B-Series come with air bag inflators developed by Takata. The National Highway Traffic Safety announced in January that the recalled vehicles should not be driven as the inflators could pose “immediate risk to safety.” On Monday, another warning was issued. That’s because the company is taking a long time to have all recalled vehicles repaired. This issue has turned into a liability to Ford.
Accidents Could Lead To Deadly Injuries
Because the air bags may explode in the event of an accident and metal shrapnel may fly into the car’s cabin, occupants are at great risk.
This issue has the power to turn any otherwise minor accident into a serious and potentially deadly collision.
Officials are worried that the slow repair rate will mean a higher rate of serious accidents.
“I cannot stress strongly enough the urgency of this recall – these air bags are dangerous,” the deputy administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement on Monday. “Every vehicle must be accounted for now.”
Ford responded by saying that while it’s doing all its power to reach out to all impacted vehicle owners, more should be done.
The company also warned car owners. They said that it’s imperative that owners bring their vehicles for a repair so the Ford Rangers impacted are not exposing anyone to major injuries. Until the vehicles are repaired, however, officials urge drivers to park the vehicle and avoid driving it because of the risk. Instead of driving the car to a dealer to have it repaired, contact the manufacturer and have the vehicles towed free of charge.
Being one of the largest recalls in the country, over 60 million cars have been impacted. We urge you to stay safe by having your vehicle repaired.