Woman whose friend was killed by faulty Takata airbag warns other drivers

Jose Luis Robles holds a picture of his mother Delia Robles who was killed in a car accident in Riverside last September.

Delia left behind three children, three grandchildren, and many close friends, including Araceli Cazales.

“She was a happy girl, very kind, lovely, and she used to do everything for people. I know for sure a lot of people are missing her,” said Cazales.

Delia’s family and friends believe her death could have been easily prevented, and that’s why they say it’s especially heartbreaking.

She was driving a 2001 Honda Civic, which had been recalled because of defective Takata airbags, and federal investigators blame her death on faulty bags installed in the car when it was manufactured.

“When I heard about the accident, I was in shock,” said Cazales.

Delia’s death draws attention to a major threat which remains on roadways and freeways all across the country:

millions of cars which still have not had faulty, recalled Takata airbags replaced, despite the fact that recalls on some models began as early as 2008.

Making matters worse, the recall list is expected to grow.

In fact, by 2020, the number of cars recalled in the U.S. alone, because of bad airbags, could reach as high as 42 million.

So far more than 30 brands are affected, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“Parents have died, grandmothers have died, all-American gymnasts have died, all walks of life are affected by this recall,” said…

Among all the recalled cars, there are some models from Honda and Acura, which safety officials are especially concerned about, and Delia’s Civic was among them. They’re called the “alpha cars”. They are the first cars which came with the defective Takata bags.

Honda spokesman Chris Martin says the bags in these cars have an “alarming rupture rate of as high as 50 percent”.

Models on the list include the Accord, Civic, CRV, Odyssey and the Pilot, and the Acura CL and TL.

They were manufactured between 2001 and 2003.

There are 44,000 of these “alpha cars” in California alone which still need the fix.

“44 thousand is significant, and it is something that everyone should check to see if theirs is one of those,” said Chris …

Representatives from Honda and the California Office of Traffic Safety say one reason why many of the recalled cars are not being repaired is because many of these cars are older, and have traded hands several times, and current owners are not aware of the recall.

Also, in some cases, owners are suspicious of car dealers, and won’t bring them in for repairs.

But, federal and state transportation experts say the repairs must happen to prevent more deaths.

A number of campaigns aimed at creating awareness continue to run, including an effort by the California Highway Patrol to notify drivers, sometimes at DUI checkpoints, and when parents bring in their cars for child safety seat inspections.

“I think most people don’t know about this at all. I’ve talked to several people about it, and everyone that I spoke to didn’t even know that this was an issue, so I think it’s important to do the story,” said Indio CHP officer Mike Radford.

Araceli Cazales says because of the death of her friend Delia, it is now her personal mission to help get the word out about the cars with airbags which still need to be replaced, and she speaks at press conferences and community events around Southern California to spread the word.

“I feel sorry. I feel like it shouldn’t happen, the way she died,” said Cazales while speaking about the loss of her friend.

So far 11 deaths in the United States are blamed on defective Takata airbags.

Click here to quickly and easily find out if your car or van is on the recall list.

Click here for recall information from Honda.