Takata airbags: South Australians still driving death traps
Deadly Takata airbags remain in more than 90,000 cars on Australian roads, putting drivers and passengers in danger.
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Deadly Takata airbags remain in more than 90,000 cars on Australian roads.
Blue-collar suburbs in capital cities have proved tough for car makers racing to replace faulty airbag inflators across the nation.
More than 3.7 million airbags in 2.71 million cars have been replaced as part of Australia’s largest safety recalls.
But the ACCC says 107,329 airbags in 90,898 cars need to be sorted immediately.
“These airbags are very dangerous and have the potential to explode with too much force, even in low speed accidents, sending sharp metal fragments into the vehicle at high speed, potentially killing or seriously injuring its occupants,” ACCC deputy chair Delia Rickard said.
“We are concerned about the disproportionate number of outstanding airbags in some communities.
“Manufacturers have found it difficult to reach some drivers who may not have been as responsive to the warnings and notices sent to them, calls, text messages or in the case of critical vehicles, in person visits urging them to get their airbags replaced.”
Manufacturers must replace all airbags in affected models before January 1, or face millions in fines.
Victoria leads the state tally with 26,262 cars requiring urgent attention, narrowly ahead of NSW (26,197), Queensland (15,192), Western Australia (7919), South Australia (3995), Tasmania (1899), the ACT (1704) and Northern Territory (711).
The bulk of South Australian cars to be repaired are in Adelaide, where 3234 vehicles require attention. Some 139,457 cars in the state have already been rectified.
Tony Weber, chief executive for the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries representing carmakers, said “it is critically important that vehicle owners don’t allow their family or friends to travel in vehicles with faulty airbags – it is just far too dangerous”.
“Rectifying the airbag is absolutely, one hundred per cent free. There is no need for owners to worry about payment because there is no cost involved.
“You may want to check if a friend’s car is safe before you ride in it, or you might want to check a family member’s car for them.
“All you need to know is the vehicle’s registration number and the state or territory of registration.”
Owners can easily check the recall status of their vehicles by using the industry’s Takata airbag recall website www.ismyairbagsafe.com.au or by texting TAKATA to 0487 AIRBAG (247 224).
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