They say that the majority of the American public is unaware of the danger posed by the Takata airbag inflators. But these inflators make up the largest auto recall in American history! How could such a large and dangerous recall go unnoticed by most of America? At least one celebrity is agonizing over this question and speaking out about how a defective Takata airbag changed his life.
Are People Taking the Takata Recall Seriously?
Scott Eastwood, son of Clint Eastwood and Suicide Squad cast member, has opened up about how the Takata recall changed his life. His former girlfriend, Jewel Brangman, was on her way to Los Angeles from San Diego when she got into a minor fender bender in her rented 2001 Honda Civic. The collision was minor, but it was enough to set off the Civic’s Takata airbag. Eastwood claims a piece of shrapnel from the defective inflator split the young woman’s spine, she did not survive her injuries.
The collision happened in September of 2015, but it was only recently that Eastwood was able to call the woman’s father and talk about what happened. Eastwood says it’s the first time he has ever lost somebody he was truly intimate with, and he has been struggling with how to grieve for her. Considering that this defect is blamed for 13 other deaths and over 100 injuries, he is probably not alone.
It is estimated that around 70 million vehicles could be affected by the Takata recall. However, when Kelley Blue Book did a survey on America’s awareness of the recall, only 52 percent of respondents were aware of it. Out of the people who were aware of the recall, less than a third think that the recall is serious. This is alarming considering that at least one in every eight cars on America’s roads are affected by this recall.
Could your car be affected? Check safecar.gov and run your car’s VIN number to find out. And stick with the defective auto parts attorneys at Colson Hicks Eidson. We’ll keep you up-to-date with our blog, Twitter, and Facebook.
