When Nevada drivers get in their vehicles, they do not expect the safety features to cause accidents. Unfortunately, defective airbags on about 7.8 million vehicles are making that a reality, according to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A recent story in the New York Times states that Toyota, Chrysler and Honda have now made a second round of recalls on airbags after the first fix has not corrected the problem.
Recalls and repairs
The NHTSA warns that inflaters in airbags made by the Takata Corporation can deploy too forcefully, sending metal shards into the cabin of vehicles. Other issues include inadvertent deployment while the vehicle is running. A defective product attorney in Las Vegas may be able to relate stories of individuals who have had experiences with dangerous vehicle design flaws.
Consumers can expect delays when it comes to getting their airbags fixed, according to the NHTSA. While some vehicle owners waited for over a year for the first repair, the problems automakers have had in correcting the design flaw may take several more months. This fact causes concern for many a defective product attorney in Las Vegas. The administrator of the safety agency has urged drivers to get the original remedy for the stopgap effect it provides while waiting for the second one to become available.
Lapses in harm prevention
Automobile recalls on millions of vehicles over the past decade have brought negative attention to the NHTSA. The agency is the authority in the United States on vehicle-related safety. In light of this responsibility to consumers, lawmakers are concerned that the organization has been too slow to identify vehicle safety issues. As more problems come to light, the NHTSA has become increasingly aggressive, launching investigations and levying heavy penalties.
Vehicle owners should check the safercar.gov website for more information about the recalls to prevent the possibility of the deployment of a faulty airbag. It is critical for consumers to protect themselves as much as possible when a product design flaw is this serious and can put everyone in the vehicle and surrounding automobiles in danger.
When a product proves inherently dangerous, there may be more than one party responsible. Any entity that had a part in the manufacture, design or marketing of the faulty product could potentially be linked to the defect. Product liability laws are different from state to state. This fact makes it especially important to find a defective product attorney in Las Vegas who can navigate the specifics of the Nevada legal system.
