U.S. reports 28th death caused by exploding Takata airbag inflators

NEW YORK, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) — Another death has been linked to dangerous Takata airbag inflators by U.S. regulators, the 28th in the United States, with the driver killed in 2018 in Alabama in a Honda vehicle, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has said, noting that the death underscores the need for people to replace recalled airbag inflators.
Takata used ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate airbags in a crash, but the chemical can deteriorate over time due to high heat and humidity and explode with too much force, The Associated Press (AP) reported on Tuesday.
That can blow apart a metal canister and send shrapnel into the passenger compartment. More than 400 people in the U.S. have been hurt, the report said.
Worldwide at least 36 people have been killed by Takata inflators in Malaysia, Australia and the United States, according to the report.
Honda said that the Alabama death occurred in Etowah County and involved a 2004 Honda Civic. It involved a high speed crash which complicated efforts to definitively determine the cause of death.
Potential for a dangerous malfunction led to the largest series of auto recalls in U.S. history, with at least 67 million Takata inflators involved, according to AP. The U.S. government says many have not been repaired. About 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide. The exploding airbags sent Takata into bankruptcy. ■