Blog Post

Toyota Air Bag Malfunctions in Fatal Crash


February 20, 2008
Topic: Air Bag Failures

When the Tovar family bought the Toyota Prius for their son Charles, they chose the driver's side air bag option. In the accident that killed Tovar, the bag didn't deploy as it should have, and now attorneys for the family have filed a lawsuit.

The accident dates back to December when a drunk driver ran a stop sign and slammed into Tovar's Prius pushing it into a ditch. That's where emergency crews found him when they arrived at the scene. Tovar died three hours later. He was all of 19-years-old.

His family claims that the driver's side bag, which was the reason they bought the car in the first place, failed to deploy at the moment of impact. The side air bag is supposed to deploy when there is an impact at the side. Toyota had issued a recall for some 2005 Prius models, saying the air bags on them might malfunction. But attorneys say Tovar's car is not mentioned in Toyota's list of affected cars.

The family says it would like other car owners to be aware of the potential dangers and malfunction possibilities of other Toyota models.

The Prius has been a model of excellence for Toyota, but the automaker itself has found itself increasingly battling recalls and scandals. Once considered an exemplary auto manufacturer, while American automakers were floundering under the weight of multiple recalls and scandals, Toyota has recently been caught on the wrong foot and more than once. Apart from the Prius recall, was the scandal at a joint Toyota and GM owned plant where a woman accused the company management of knowingly pushing defective vehicles out of the shop floor and into showrooms. She claimed that defects were ignored and that management threatened employees to prevent them from leaking the facts. The scandal did its share to tar the Japanese automaker's pristine image as a fair and conscientious manufacturer.

In Tovar's case, Toyota has much to answer for. This defect is a bit like Ford's cruise control defect ignition switch recall. The cruise control, which customers pay high prices for, can lead to shorting and can cause the vehicle to catch fire even when stationery. Similarly, Toyota customers who pay extra for the privilege of a driver's side air bag are being denied any safety measures in spite of having paid top-dollar for it.

It seems like a cruel irony that the one thing the Tovar family thought would keep their boy safe in the event of an accident so badly failed their son. They have every reason to demand answers, and the automaker has a lot of answering to do. Why was Tovar's car left out of the recalls? How is it possible that consumers in our country are being taken on such a merry ride by the auto manufacturers without serious action being taken against them?

Ford has made a habit of showing disregard and contempt for customers. As far as Ford is concerned, all other factors are at work in Ford related accidents, not the standards of safety of their own car. One hopes Toyota is not following in Ford's dubious footsteps.

Air bags are designed to save lives, but when they malfunction they can cause more damage then they prevent. If you or a family member have been injured or killed due to a malfunctioning air bag, you need the help of a top California personal injury law firm. Contact the attorneys at The Reeves Law Group for a free consultation.


The California personal injury attorneys at The Reeves Law Group represent victims of accidents, injuries and wrongful death throughout California from our offices in Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, Ventura County, Fresno County, Kern County, Sacramento County, San Fernando Valley, Long Beach, Antelope Valley, Torrance, Glendale, Bakersfield, Santa Ana, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Ontario, and Victorville.