Deadly Airbags Ignored by NHTSA for a Decade under Presidents Bush and Obama


Deadly Airbags Ignored by NHTSA for a Decade under Presidents Bush and Obama

September, 2014

Dear Care for Crash Victims Community Members:

An excellent article in today’s NY Times reports:

“The details of Honda’s air bag problems, which have not been previously reported, come as General Motors continues to face questions about its ignition switch defect, which some G.M. officials knew about for a decade before the recalls were issued. In echoes of that safety crisis, The New York Times found the inadequate response to the risk of rupturing air bags was rooted in the industry’s ability to report safety problems in a minimal way, a weak regulatory agency and a disconnect between what automakers are aware of internally and what they reveal publicly.

The danger of exploding air bags was not disclosed for years after the first reported incident in 2004, despite red flags — including three additional ruptures reported to Honda in 2007, according to interviews, regulatory filings and court records.”

See http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/12/business/air-bag-flaw-long-known-led-to-recalls.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=HpSum&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

This kind of reporting gives us all hope for a safer America.  Hopefully, the Senate Hearings scheduled for next Tuesday will examine the regulatory captivity of NHTSA that continues to this day with high level officials, formerly employed by GM, now in charge of vehicle safety programs.  See https://www.careforcrashvictims.com/blog-coverupMonthly8-14.php

Lou

 

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