State Glance
Exploding Takata air bag inflator kills man in Arizona crash
DETROIT — U.S. investigators have determined that shrapnel from an exploding Takata air bag killed a BMW driver during a crash in Arizona.
The September death of the unidentified male is the 18th in the U.S. since 2009 and 27th worldwide caused by the faulty inflators.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wouldn’t release further details on the death, citing privacy concerns. But the agency said the incident underscores the importance of getting recall repairs done.
In a statement, BMW said the man in the crash was driving a 2004 3 Series BMW. The company said it has been working to identify and contact owners of older BMWs with recalled Takata air bags.
“We urge all owners to take the recall notices seriously and to have the recalls completed at any authorized BMW Center, as soon as possible,” the statement said.
Takata used volatile ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate air bags in a crash. But the chemical can become more volatile over time when exposed to moisture in the air. The explosion can blow apart a metal canister and hurl shrapnel into the passenger compartment.
The problem caused the largest series of auto recalls in U.S. history, with at least 63 million inflators recalled. The U.S. government says that as of September, more than 11.1 million had not been fixed. About 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide.
Most of the deaths have been in the U.S., but they also have occurred in Australia and Malaysia.
Drivers can check to see if their vehicles have been recalled by going to https://www.nhtsa.gov/ recalls and keying in their 17-digit vehicle identification number.
The recalls drove Japan’s Takata into bankruptcy and brought criminal charges against the company. Eventually it was purchased by a Chinese-owned auto parts supplier.
Navajo Nation reports 143 new COVID-19 cases, but no deaths
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz — Navajo Nation health officials on Thursday reported 143 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 , but no additional deaths.
The latest figures bring the total number of known cases to 12,971 with the known death toll remaining at 596.
Tribal health officials said 135,864 people have been tested for COVID-19 since the pandemic started and 7,902 have recovered.
The Navajo Nation Department of Health on Wednesday warned residents of the “uncontrolled spread” of COVID-19 in 34 communities on the vast reservation that covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.
The Navajo Nation will have a 56-hour weekend curfew beginning Friday night. Tribal officials already have urged residents to wear face masks, practice social distancing and limit gatherings to less than five people.
The reservation spans more than 27,000 square miles.
Most people experience mild or moderate symptoms with the coronavirus, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. But for some — especially older adults and people with existing health problems — it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.