Car owners who have had their airbags replaced within the last three years may have had counterfeit airbags installed, which could pose a potentially dangerous and fatal threat to those involved operating the motor vehicle. The Obama Administration has warned that all consumers should be aware of this increasing risk and ensure that their vehicles are checked, if having recently received airbag replacements.
Although only an estimated 0.1% of the vehicles on the road in the United States are believed to have been affected, industry officials are warning that tens of thousands of car owners may indeed by driving vehicles with counterfeit airbags. These counterfeit airbags are known to have numerous problems, including improper inflation, failure to inflate, or firing shards of metal shrapnel on impact, as stated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Consumers can refer to www.safercar.gov, to receive information on call centers established by auto manufacturers in order to learn if their vehicles were one of the ones that received the counterfeit airbags. It can be difficult after an accident to tell whether a vehicle had received a counterfeit airbag, so awareness and education prior to an accident is an important step towards ensuring that you, and your loved ones, stay safe on the road.
Traffic accidents claim the lives of thousands per year, and as a educated consumer you must do all you can to stay aware and safe on the roads today. Consulting your mechanic, auto manufacturer, or the provided government resources, can mean the difference between a safe drive, and a potentially harmful accident. Staying informed is the first step to staying safe.
About the Editors: The Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm, whose attorneys work out of offices in Virginia (VA) and North Carolina (NC), edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, Eastern Shore Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono service.
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