Vast majority of dangeorus Takata airbags still on the road

As readers probably recall, airbags manufactured by Takata have been blamed for causing 11 deaths and more than 150 injuries so far. The airbags can inflate with too much force, even after a minor collision, sending shards of metal flying toward the bodies of drivers and passengers.

Takata provided airbags for nearly all the leading automakers that sell vehicles in the U.S.; Honda is most affected by the recall, but at least 13 other manufacturers are also involved. In all, 70 million vehicles have been included in the U.S. recall so far, and a total of 100 million cars and trucks could end up needing repairs worldwide.

Takata is manufacturing replacement airbags, but the process of making the necessary repairs has been very slow so far. Fortune Magazine reports that just 8 million U.S. vehicles have been fixed so far, and that regulators do not expect the recall to end until sometime in 2018.

It is frightening to think that these deadly airbags could continue to hurt people in Buffalo and across the country for another two years. Anyone injured by a defective product may be able to obtain compensation from the company behind the defect.