The Takata airbag recall has resulted in vehicle occupants suffering catastrophic injuries and death. However, could it have been completely avoided?
A recent article in Fortune makes the case for how the Takata airbag recall could have been prevented.
What Could Takata Have Done to Avoid Making Dangerous Airbags?
We have blogged about the Takata recall on multiple occasions. During our coverage, it has become clear that negligence on the part of Takata and several automakers is to blame for the Takata airbag recall. There are injury victims whose lives will never be the same and families who lost loved ones. Therefore, the fact that all that pain and suffering is due to an auto parts manufacturer and auto companies knowingly installing dangerous airbags into cars and trucks is unacceptable.
However, that appears to be the case, and according to Fortune, here are a couple of the preventable reasons the defective Takata airbags made it into vehicles:
- Failing to follow safety recommendations – For example, per the report in Fortune, Ford’s inflator expert believed the propellant Takata used in its airbag inflators was sensitive to moisture and unstable. Therefore, Ford’s expert objected to the automaker choosing to use Takata inflators in its vehicles. However, the automaker chose to ignore objections from their own expert and use Takata airbag inflators in their vehicles.
- Hiring people who are honest and accountable – This point references the hiring practices within corporate America overall, which seem to reward applicants who are not only knowledgeable and skilled, but also willing to cross the line to increase profits. For instance, what does it matter whether you employ a knowledgeable and skilled safety inspector if he or she is willing to sweep safety violations under the rug and put the safety of the public at risk to protect the company’s bottom line?
Do you believe that the Takata airbag recall was preventable? Visit our Twitter and Facebook pages and voice your opinion regarding this issue. In addition, keep following our Florida injury law blog for continued updates about the Takata recall as well as similar legal news