ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — An Orange County woman is suing Takata and Mazda after she was hit by shrapnel when her airbag exploded in a low-speed crash.
Her attorney, Andrew Parker Felix, said Takata and the car company are putting profits over drivers’ safety.
Airbags are designed to deploy quickly and lessen the impact in a crash.
But it's no secret that some Takata airbags have been injuring people instead.
"These are metal shrapnel pieces that we pulled out of the Mazda," said Felix.
Felix showed Channel 9 happened to his client, Celelia Dowdye.
Dowdye was driving her daughter's 2006 Mazda 6 in July when she was involved in a low-speed crash on Lake Ellenore drive in Orlando.
Felix said the airbag inflator exploded like a grenade.
"These fragments of metal are coming out at 200 to 300 miles an hour, and they are basically impaling her in the chest and neck," said Felix.
Dowdye said she remains scarred and still has numbness and pain.
More than 70 million Takata airbags have been recalled in the U.S.
The Florida Highway Patrol said injuries and deaths from airbags make it extremely important to get them replaced. But drivers have complained many manufacturers don't have the parts.
“What do you say to people who say, 'Well should I disable my airbag?'” Channel 9’s Jeff Deal asked.
"Absolutely not," said Sgt. Kim Montes of the Florida Highway Patrol.
Montes said airbags and seat belts save lives far more often than people are injured by defective airbag inflators.
Even though what Dowdye went through is scary, Montes said the risk of disabling one’s airbag is greater.
In the lawsuit, Mazda has denied direct responsibility, and Takata hasn't filed a response.
Felix said he believes it is about companies putting profits over consumer safety.
Cox Media Group
