Many airbag airheads are knowingly driving a death traps

Some owners are still dragging their feet by refusing to co-operate with the airbag recall.

. Picture: FRANCK ROBICHON

I KNOW a woman who is willingly driving a death trap. She's been ignoring her Takata recall letters for months now, seemingly unconcerned that she, and her passengers, risk being killed or maimed by the car's airbags.

It's been a year since Takata airbag recall began, and to date around 2.8 million of them have been replaced. By anyone's standards it's significant progress, but it still leaves about a million to go.

That's largely because some owners are still dragging their feet by refusing to co-operate with the recall. You'd think the potential consequences would be enough to persuade any reasonably intelligent person to take the matter seriously - but it hasn't. The mind boggles.

Recently the Queensland Government announced it would look at suspending registrations of unrepaired cars. "I suppose I'll have to get it fixed if they do that,” my friend said.

Now that reaction shouldn't really surprise me. The car hasn't been serviced for years because it's too inconvenient, and the disruption of having the airbag replaced is obviously, to her mind, far more significant than being killed by it. Insert dramatic eyeroll.

What more can I say? I'm hoping by embarrassing her in this column she'll get the push she needs. It's tough, yes, but it may just safe her life.

Originally published as Many airbag airheads are knowingly driving a death traps