Agency Expects More Deaths From GM’s Ignition Flaw
Published 12:00 am Saturday, May 24, 2014
The number of deaths linked to defective ignition switches in General Motors cars is likely to rise above the 13 fatalities acknowledged so far by GM, according to the nation’s top auto safety regulator.
“The final death toll associated with this safety defect is not known to NHTSA, but we believe it’s likely that more than 13 lives were lost,” said David Friedman, the acting chief of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
GM has said that it knows of 13 deaths and 32 accidents tied to a faulty switch that can cause a sudden loss of engine power and deactivate air bags in Chevrolet Cobalts, Saturn Ions and other small cars.