A Florida woman died because a faulty air bag ruptured and fired shrapnel into her head during a crash she should have survived, a report released Wednesday by the state's Highway Patrol said.
Nichol Barker, 34, of Holiday, Florida, was struck by metal pieces that burst through the Takata airbag, causing a 6-inch by 3-inch gaping wound to her left temple, a fractured skull and bruising and bleeding on her brain, according to the report written by Sgt. Chester T. Everett, the lead investigator.
Barker is at least the 21st person killed worldwide since 2009 by exploding Takata air bags, which were first recalled in the early 2000s. Air bags deploy at up to 200 mph (320 kph), but are not supposed to rupture.
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11 comments:
Most women have the seat adjusted as far forward as it will go toward the steering wheel. Look at any woman driving next to you at a stop light. Seat is positioned as forward as it can go. There is less than 3 inches from the air bag/steering wheel to their chest. An air bag deployment is going to cause serious injuries when you are sitting inches from it. Notice that most of the air bag injuries happen to women.
Perhaps you misunderstood the report. Internal decay of the airbag turned it into a bomb. The fragments of the corroded steel housing went thru the bag upon activation and killed the woman. Seat position and angle of the tilt wheel only place a victim elsewhere in a random shrapnel pattern.
If you have one of the cars or trucks involved in the recall and are waiting on parts PLEASE PULL THE AIRBAG FUSE{S}.
2:40 AM we don't HAVE the seat adjusted that way out of stupidity, it is because vehicles are designed for 6' men and only luxury vehicles come with adjusting pedals and to reach them we MUST pull the seat forward.
Unfortunately manufacturers think vehicles can be made as a one size fit all items and they are not.
I once drove a 4 door jeep wrangler that I could not buy because I could not comfortably or reasonable reach the clutch pedal.
2:40 wins the dumbest comment of the day award, I guess short people should not drive
Actually you are an idiot. The seat positions are designed so they will only move forward. This issue is with an improperly designed and built airbag...go back to arm chair quarterback of your grass...
Can you pull my fuses I have 3 vehicles.thanks.
6:16 AM OMG no one has EVER proposed that.. If your suggestion is true, you may have saved a life. I would never have known without your comment.
I had a POS rental car and it was one of my worries.
That’ was a spelling typo...I meant to say the seat only goes forward to a point designed to keep the driver a specific distance from the airbag
Actually pulling the airbag fuse or fuses puts you in even more danger. Not every car has this airbag issue. The structure of cars are now designed around the airbag systems. Not having this system in operation will easily kill you in an accident.
12:49 PM I would be willing to take that chance if I had a recalled airbag vehicle.
Hysterically the rule of thumb is three feet from the steering wheel. But I dont have arms three feet long.
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