GM Recalls 79 Chevrolet Impalas Because of Potential Air Bag Malfunction
General Motors has announced that it is recalling 79 of its 2009 Chevrolet Impalas because of an air bag issue. The auto manufacturer says that part of the front passenger-side air bag could break during deployment, potentially striking and injuring the passenger. This breakage could also prevent the air bag from fully inflating, thereby only partially protecting the passenger during a motor vehicle crash.
Side-Impact Air Bags (SABs)
Side-impact air bags are designed to protect an auto occupant’s chest and/or head during a motor vehicle collision.
Three Kinds of SABs:
Chest SABs: Located in the door or in the side of the car seat.
Head SABs: Located in the roof rail on top of the side windows.
Head/Chest SABs: Usually found in the side of the seat.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost 60% of people who were killed in traffic collisions involving side-impact crashes sustained serious brain injuries. The NHTSA says that an additional 700 to 1,000 people would survive motor vehicle crashes each year if all autos in the US were made with head protection SABs.
It is important that all air bags in a vehicle are properly designed and installed, and that they work correctly. While air bags are designed to protect passengers from serious injuries or deaths, air bag defects and malfunctions have been known to lead to spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, chest injuries, head injuries, neck injuries, vision problems, hearing loss, internal injuries, amputated fingers, concussions, cuts and abrasions, burn injuries, and/or death.
Examples of air bag defects and malfunctions include sensor failure, improper tethering, improper inflation (in terms of speed deployment, the angle of deployment, and when deployment occurs), and failure to deploy.
GM Recalls 2009 Chevrolet Impala, Office of Defects Investigation
GM Recalls 2009 Chevrolet Impala for Airbag Problem, Edmunds.com, October 9, 2008
Related Web Resources:
Side-Impact Air Bags, SaferCars.gov
Air Bags, NHTSA
Our auto products liability lawyers have helped many families recover compensation for injuries sustained by loved ones in auto accidents involving defective air bags. Please call Gilbert, Ollanik, & Komyatte, PC today.
