Photo: Chevrolet
A study conducted by Fredman Research Corporation and commissioned by the Center for Auto Safety, a private watchdog group in Washington, claims that GM's recent ignition switch-related recall can be linked to 303 deaths.
According to the New York Times, Friedman Research Corporation's review from 2003 to 2012 shows that 303 people died after the air bags failed to deploy on two of the models that were recalled last month - the 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt and 2003-2007 Saturn Ion.
The report says that the company looked at cases in which the air bags failed to deploy in non rear-impact crashes, but it did not try to evaluate what caused the crashes.
Earlier this year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that GM's faulty ignition switch, which affects about 1.3 million vehicles in the United States, were linked to 13 deaths.
The Center for Auto Safety has sent a letter to the NHTSA criticizing the agency for not detecting the air bag failures in addition to the ignition switch defect.
The US ignition switch recall includes about 1.3 million units of the 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2007 Pontiac G5, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR, 2006-2007 Pontiac Solstice and 2006-2007 Saturn Sky. In Canada, GM is recalling the 2005-2006 Pontiac Pursuit, while its European arm is calling back the 2007 Opel GT.
In these vehicles, the ignition switch may move out of the run position due to the weight of the key ring and road conditions, turning off the engine and preventing the air bags to deploy in the event of a crash.
GM has started an internal investigation, but the NHTSA and the House Energy and Commerce Committee have announced inquiries of their won. The manufacturer has aleady received a 27-page query from the NHTSA, with the agency expecting an official answer by April 3.
The report says that the company looked at cases in which the air bags failed to deploy in non rear-impact crashes, but it did not try to evaluate what caused the crashes.
Earlier this year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that GM's faulty ignition switch, which affects about 1.3 million vehicles in the United States, were linked to 13 deaths.
The Center for Auto Safety has sent a letter to the NHTSA criticizing the agency for not detecting the air bag failures in addition to the ignition switch defect.
The US ignition switch recall includes about 1.3 million units of the 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt, 2007 Pontiac G5, 2003-2007 Saturn Ion, 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR, 2006-2007 Pontiac Solstice and 2006-2007 Saturn Sky. In Canada, GM is recalling the 2005-2006 Pontiac Pursuit, while its European arm is calling back the 2007 Opel GT.
In these vehicles, the ignition switch may move out of the run position due to the weight of the key ring and road conditions, turning off the engine and preventing the air bags to deploy in the event of a crash.
GM has started an internal investigation, but the NHTSA and the House Energy and Commerce Committee have announced inquiries of their won. The manufacturer has aleady received a 27-page query from the NHTSA, with the agency expecting an official answer by April 3.
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