A new fatal accident linked to the Takata airbag scandal

A driver in her forties lost her life last Wednesday on the Reims expressway, after an accident involving her Citroën C3 equipped with a Takata airbag.

Should all vehicles equipped with Takata airbags be immediately immobilized? This question is more relevant than ever following a new incident that resulted in the death of a mother. Alongside her, her 14-year-old daughter was injured. The tragic event was caused by the deployment of a defective Takata airbag, whose explosion resulted in a fatal facial injury.

While attempting to avoid a heavy truck, the driver brushed against a guardrail. The airbag deployed… and killed. At the scene, rescuers immediately recognized the grim signature of Takata airbags: metal shrapnel propelled at very high speeds into the cabin.

This tragedy is part of a global scandal. Since 2014, Takata airbags have been known for their major defect: an unstable propellant gas, sensitive to heat and humidity, which can cause an uncontrolled explosion. Condemned for fraud in 2017, the Japanese group went bankrupt, leaving behind a poisoned legacy of over 100 million vehicles recalled worldwide, about thirty confirmed deaths, and massive recalls still ongoing.

In France, Citroën (Stellantis group) has launched recall campaigns with a “stop drive” notice on certain older models. However, the victim’s 2014 Citroën C3 had not received any alert letter.

This new accident raises an urgent question: how many more deaths will it take before decisive action is taken? Should all vehicles still equipped with Takata airbags not be immobilized without delay?

An avoidable death is an absolute scandal. Manufacturers, who have had years to anticipate this, must now take responsibility for this massive operation. Motorists should not have to pay with their lives for a fault they are not responsible for.

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