Continental Automotive Systems, an automotive electronics supplier based in Hanover, Germany, announced recently that a faulty part lead to the recall of over five million vehicles worldwide. The Detroit Associated Press reported that moisture may leak into the airbag control computer, causing the power supply to corrode and potentially fail. So far, Honda, Fiat, Chrysler, and Mercedes have issued recalls on vehicles dating as far back as 2006. Honda reported two car accident injuries last year due to the issue.
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, frontal airbags reduce driver fatalities by 29% and fatalities of front-seat passengers who are 13 and older are reduced by 30%. Essentially, airbags are cushions which inflate when a vehicle crashes to prevent the occupants of the vehicle from hitting the interior and also prevent objects from outside of the vehicle projecting into the vehicle to harm the occupants.
As of 2013, over 39,000 lives had been saved by frontal airbags.
Typically car airbags last the life of the car, or at least until the airbag has been deployed. Airbag malfunction is always possible, so it is very important to ensure that you schedule routine checkups for your vehicle's safety. To determine whether your vehicle has been recalled, you can enter your VIN at SafeCar.gov to see a list of potential safety issues. It is also good to remember that children under the age of 12 should not sit in the front seat of any vehicle due to the risk of being suffocated by the airbag. Although it is good to be prepared, sometimes precaution is not enough, and accidents do happen. If you are in an accident, ensure that your airbags are properly replaced afterwards to ensure they are ready in the case of another auto accident.
If you have been injured in an auto accident, speak to an attorney at The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC. Our experienced attorneys are highly skilled in helping victims of automotive injuries receive any compensation they may be entitled to, under Michigan law. Call us today, at 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation.