After Continued Efforts from Senators Markey and Blumenthal, Dept. of Justice Indicts Takata Executives

After continued efforts by U.S. Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), the Department of Justice (DOJ) today charged three Takata Corporation executives in a criminal investigation into an air bag defect that has resulted in 11 deaths and more than 180 injuries in the United States. The three executives were aware of internal airbag test results that showed that the airbags' metal inflaters could explode, according to the indictment. Blumenthal and Markey have repeatedly called for stiff punishments against responsible Takata executives in order to hold wrongdoers accountable and deter similar incidents in the future.

"This criminal action should be relentlessly pursued to hold culpable corporate executives accountable for the eleven Americans killed and hundreds injured by Takata's illegal and immoral wrongdoing," the Senators said. "Criminally and unethically, Takata chose profits over people--avoiding remedial action and repeatedly lying to safety officials as these airbags remained in cars like ticking time bombs. The message to corporate executives should be that fake safety tests and tragic deaths will result in stiff penalties, including prison. This kind of criminal accountability is long overdue for lawbreaking corporate executives.

"But the effort to protect drivers from Takata's wrongdoing does not stop here. Until every vehicle with potentially-lethal Takata airbags is recalled, our roadways will continue to be littered with these automotive IEDs and innocent people will die. We must recall every single vehicle with a Takata airbag and NHTSA must accelerate the recall of these dangerous airbags to prevent yet another unnecessary and tragic death."

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