The state of Hawaii suing Japanese auto parts maker Takata
Hawaii took the Japanese auto parts maker Takata to court on Friday, accusing it of covering up a deadly airbag defect and demanding a $10,000 penalty for every affected car owner in Hawaii, The New York Times reports.
According to the source, Hawaii is the first state in the US to sue over the air bags, which are blamed for at least 11 deaths worldwide and more than 100 injuries.
Millions of Takata’s defective air bags have been recalled because their inflators can explode, spewing shrapnel in cars.
“We’re not going to sit back and wait for more accidents to happen,” Steve Levins, the state’s director of consumer protection, said as quoted by the newspaper. “We’re also seeking that consumers be compensated for any losses associated with this incident, whether that’s alternative transportation costs, or a diminished value of their vehicle.”
Hawaii’s lawsuit says that its residents are at particular risk because of the state’s high temperatures and humidity levels. Auto safety regulators have determined that long-term exposure to moisture and temperature fluctuations over time can degrade the explosives, or propellant, used to deploy the airbag, making it more unstable and prone to cause the airbag’s interior to rupture.