Teen student who died after Takata airbag sliced her neck open revealed as first victim that sparked 100million worldwide recall – but are you at risk?
A total of 22 people have been killed by faulty airbags since Ashley Parham died in 2009 - and millions could still be on British roads. Here's how to check if your car is affected by the recall
THIS 18-year-old student has been revealed as the first victim of the Takata airbag scandal that sparked a 100million recall around the world.
Ashley Parnham's neck was sliced open by her exploding airbag in 2009 after a low-speed crash in a car park leaving her to bleed out in the driver's seat.
Almost a decade later, the deaths of 22 people have also been attributed to exploding airbags fitted in models from almost every major car maker - and it's still ongoing with another 2.3million motors added this week by Australian officials.
However, it was Ms Parham, a former student, community volunteer and cheerleader at an Oklahoma high school, who was likely the first victim of the deadly malfunctioning airbags made by Japanese manufacturer Takata.
Ms Parham was on her way to pick up her brother from football practice in her 2001 Honda Accord when she was in a minor prang in a car park.
News stories at the time reported she was wearing a seatbelt and wasn't speeding but the airbag still inflated, throwing metal pieces at such force that one hit the teen’s neck slicing open her carotid artery, leaving her to bleed to death in her seat.
Local Police Chief Brandon Clabes told Reuters at the time that her injuries were so catastrophic doctors who treated Ms Parham initially “thought she might have been shot".
Ms Parnham's tragic story has come to light again after a recent death in Australia prompted a further - including everything from state of the art Teslas to luxury BMWs and British made Jaguar Land Rovers to runabout Skodas.
A 58-year-old Sydney man died last year after he crashed his Honda CR-V into a Toyota Celica causing airbag debris to pierce his neck.
The scandal, which hit the news almost a decade ago, still remains unresolved with Takata filing for bankruptcy last year in the face of the massive recall.
How to check if your car is affected by faulty Takata airbags
- Head to
- Select "Check other types of vehicle, parts or accessories"
- Enter your car's Make and Model
- Type "airbag" into the free text search bar
- Cars affected by the recall will show a warning that "airbags may endanger the passenger" if deployed
- E.g. A search for a 2001 Honda Civic shows a 2010 recall note that states: "The combustion rate of the airbag propellant may be too fast causing excessive internal pressure in the inflator during airbag deployment. In an extreme case, the inflator casing may rupture leading to a scattering of metal fragments."
The recall is the largest in automotive history, and drivers in the UK could still be affected by the dodgy airbags.
It is estimated that there could be as many as 2.2million cars on British roads that are yet to complete voluntary recall checks - with replacement airbags fitted free of charge.
Drivers should use the free government service to find out if their car needs to be recalled - and also check any potential purchases before getting in a deadly motor.
In 2016, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said they had solved the mystery of why Takata’s airbags were exploding with such brutal force following relatively minor bumps.
Long term exposure to moisture and temperature fluctuations was found to degrade the chemical propellant used to deploy the airbags.
The propellant in Takata devices was made from ammonium nitrate, a volatile explosive often used in mining, which left the airbags prone to inflate with such force that a metal canister in the device could be shredded, scooped up and ejected in the process.
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Drivers in humid climates, places such as Florida, Malaysia and Australia where deaths have occurred, were most at risk.
With the massive recalls in the US and Australia, it is expected some 125 million cars will eventually have to be ordered back to their manufactures to have their airbags tested.
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