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VOL. 8 ISSUE 6 AUGUST 2017
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DIY Repair in Florida Results in Fatal Airbag Explosion, “Alpha” Inflators are Most Dangerous Type
where we waii are erson Ha p ’ s s ho di in ther p no
18, 2016. A medical examiner ruled his mechanism is to prevent the propelby Autobody News Staff death accidental due to head trauma, lant, largely ammonium nitrate, from according to a Hialeah police report. In a dramatic expansion of what is al- becoming hydrated and therefore unAccording police, Kuffo was in ready the largest automotive recall in stable. In chemical terms instability the back yard of his home near Miami, history, Takata Corp.—which recently can affect the burn rate of the comworking on a silver 2001 Honda Acfiled for bankruptcy protection—has pounds and behave unpredicably, leadcord, when a neighbor heard a loud just added 2.7 million vehicles to the ing to malfunction. bang. The neighbor went outside and Environmental moisture, high total. found Kuffo sitting in the passenger Vehicles made by Ford, Nissan temperatures, and age contribute to the seat of the car unconscious and bleedand Mazda are using a type of airbag process that can disastrously fragment ing from his face. Kuffo was taken to the airbags’ inflator mechanism. inflator including a desiccant, or drya trauma center, where he died the next NHTSA has determined the root ing agent, that previously was thought day. Both air bags had inflated. to be safe. Commonly encountered cause of the inflator casing shattering Honda released a statement on desiccants are solids that absorb water. problem is airbags that use ammonium July 10, 2017, which read, They are frequently used in nitrate-based propellent without a repackaged foods to retain liable chemical drying agent, i.e., See Airbag Fatality, Page 9 o m c l e e s w ws g this iss reade crispness and are in without an effective desiccant. The e ue N in in rs y ead no way explosive in propellant oxidizes hydrated fuel granr a State Insurance Regulator Expresses Openules and wafers explosively, causing their own right. the inflator’s casing to rupture and fire However the ness to Ideas Implemented in Other States desiccant’s role the shattered fragments with someby John Yoswick Industry Conin the Takata times lethal velocity. See Takata Adds to Recall, Page 18 ference (CIC) airbag inflation Collision repair shops and associations on state or fedoften express fruseral regulation Mahalo Nui Loa Mahal tration in trying to of the insurance Insurance That May Apply if Injured in work with their industry may offer a Car Accident in NC state insurance regan example of how ulators on issues reto approach getting you or a family member find yourself by Jeremy M. Wilson, lated to steering, regulators to act. in this unfortunate situation. Ward and Smith, P.A. use of non-OEM The CIC “Governmental Comparts or other insurmittee” began its presentation with a Brooke Stringer of In 2015, there were over 250,000 re- Liability Insurance look at the prospect of repealing the the National Associ- ance claims pracNorth Carolina law requires that the ported car accidents in North Caration of Insurance tices they consider 1945 McCarran-Ferguson Act, the owner of a registered motor vehicle olina. And, unfortunately, statistics Commissioners unfair or illegal. federal antitrust exemption granted suggest that nearly every driver will maintain basic levels of liability insur(NAIC) said NAIC But presentations to insurers. Bob Redding, the Autosupports state rather be involved in at least one car accident ance coverage. The purpose of liability and discussions at motive Service Association lobbyist than federal regulacoverage is to pay for claims a recent Collision tion of insurance See Insurance Regulator, Page 54 when the owner or driver of
time. Au first to e h o t ripti n. If yo bod r u’r c o s e ub
A Florida man was killed by an exploding Takata air bag inflator while doing a DIY repair in June last year. Ramon V. Kuffo, 81, of Hialeah, Florida, was working inside a 2001 Honda Accord using a hammer when the air bag inflator ruptured, on June
Takata Airbag Recall Expands by 2.7M More Vehicles, Ca2SO4 Desiccant is Now Suspect in Certain Inflators
our publica ting t ibu ct us for a fre ion es f str onta c
in their lifetime. Given these numbers, you should be aware of the types of car insurance coverage in North Carolina that might be available should
that vehicle is “liable” for an accident—i.e., when an accident is that owner’s or driver’s fault. The minimum requirements for coverage in North Carolina are $30,000 for bodily injury to one person, $60,000 for bodily injury to two or more people, and $25,000 for property damage. Many individuals carry additional See NC Insurance, Page 16
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