Newsroom
Two more people have reportedly been injured by defective Takata airbags, with both cases now making their way through the courts.
Mechanical engineer and traffic accident expert Andreas Tzirkalis revealed on Alpha TV’s Update program that the victims suffered injuries to the face and chest after the airbags deployed. He said the airbags involved in these incidents were later recalled, but only after legal action had already begun.
“I know of two specific cases where, during the court process, the car owners received letters saying the airbag needed to be replaced, the same one that caused their injuries,” Tzirkalis said.
He added that without the efforts of families who lost loved ones in similar incidents, the issue might never have come to light. “If the parents of the children who died hadn’t pushed for answers, we’d still be in the dark,” he said.
Explaining the danger, Tzirkalis noted that the airbags use a chemical called ammonium nitrate, which can explode with too much force. “It causes the metal casing to burst, sending sharp fragments flying toward the driver at speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour,” he said.
Takata airbags have been linked to dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries worldwide, leading to one of the largest auto recalls in history. Investigations into additional cases in Cyprus remain ongoing.
