Canada Reports Death Linked to Airbag Failure

Knoxville, TNIt's not just Takata that's in the news for air bags these days. New reports have emerged that air bag inflators made by ARC Automotive Inc. - from Knoxville, Tennessee - are being investigated for a potential link to a death in Canada. Regulators in both the US and Canada are reportedly involved in the investigation.

According to The Detroit News (8/4/16), a car accident in Newfoundland, Canada, resulted in the death of a driver after the air bag inflator ruptured during deployment and shards of metal were sent flying into the cabin of a 2009 Hyundai Elantra. The air bag inflator was made by ARC Automotive. Despite concerns about air bag safety linked to the Takata recalls, officials have reportedly said the issues with the ARC inflator are different from those linked to the Takata air bags.

Takata faced worldwide recalls after serious problems with its air bags were linked to at least 10 deaths and more than 100 injuries internationally. Those air bags were reported to have deployed with too much force, putting vehicle occupants at risk of injury or death caused by shrapnel exploding into their vehicles.

By early 2016, more than 36 million vehicles with Takata inflators were recalled worldwide.

Insurance Journal (8/8/16) reports the victim of the Newfoundland crash was female, and up to eight million vehicles could be affected by the investigation into the air bag's role in the woman's death. Officials were reported by Insurance Journal as stating that the driver would likely have survived the crash if not for injuries caused by the exploding shrapnel.

Transport Canada noted in a news release that the ARC inflator has been linked to two other incidents, both of which caused serious injury but did not result in death. Those accidents involved a 2002 Chrysler Town & Country minivan and a 2004 Kia Optima. The agency also noted that this is the first recorded Canadian fatality linked to an airbag issue.

"Should a safety defect be found, owners will be notified," Transport Canada said in its statement.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Transport Canada are cooperating on the investigation. The NHTSA opened its investigation in 2015, following the two reports of injuries in the US. Following the accident in Canada, the NHTSA upgraded its investigation to an engineering analysis.

Hyundai and ARC are both reportedly cooperating with investigators.