Takata’s defective airbags have been installed in more than 100 million cars in the United States, tens of millions of which have been recalled. Unfortunately, a large proportion of the owners of the recalled vehicles have not returned their cars to dealers to have the recall work performed to replace these potentially deadly airbags. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently went as far as to tell owners of certain 2001?2003 Honda and Acura vehicles?which are considered the most at risk?to bring their cars to a dealership immediately to have the airbags replaced. Now we have the unusual situation of a crash victim appearing in a public-service announcement urging consumers to get their cars fixed.

Corey Burdick was involved in a low-speed collision while driving his 2001 Honda Civic, and when the car’s Takata airbag went off, shrapnel from the defective inflator casing flew into his face. A piece of metal shot into his right eye, and Burdick lost that eye. It is claimed that Burdick never received a recall notice for his Civic. He speaks on camera urging drivers to take their cars in to be fixed. The spot is narrated by Richard Newsome, whose law firm, Newsome Melton, represented Burdick and produced the video. The firm also maintains the website consumerwatch.com, on which the video appears.
Burdick’s Civic is one of the Honda models that NHTSA has identified as the most at risk among cars that use the recalled airbags. ...