303 Deaths Linked to Failed GM Airbags
Things might be getting hotter for General Motors in regards to its recent ignition switch debacle.
A new report has surfaced alleging that 303 people have died as a result of air bags failing to deploy in vehicles that were part of last month’s recall. The review of the air bag failures is being conducted by Friedman Research Corporation and is looking over data from 2003 to 2012.
SEE ALSO: GM Had an Ignition Fix in 2005 but Never Implemented it
The study was commissioned by the Center for Auto Safety, a private watchdog group in Washington, which has sent a letter criticizing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for not detecting the air bag failures in addition to the ignition switch defect.
According to the new report, the ignition problem is connected to the air bags due to the fact that electrical power provided by the engine is necessary for the air bags to deploy. According to the watchdog group, the 303 victims were in the front seat, where air bags are situated, and died in non rear-impact crashes in Chevy Cobalt and Saturn Ion models, the same vehicles affected in the recall.
[Source: NY Times]
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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