On March 25, 2023, a fatal road accident in Guadeloupe has been attributed to the deployment of a defective airbag manufactured by Takata Corporation, according to the Pointe-à-Pitre prosecutor's office.

The victim was driving a Toyota Hilux when the incident occurred in the locality of Le Moule.

The prosecutor, Caroline Calbo, stated in a recent communication that the autopsy confirmed that the death was directly related to the explosion of the airbag.

As a result, the authorities have initiated legal proceedings for involuntary manslaughter against the airbag manufacturer.

Over the years, the Takata airbag scandal has resulted in multiple fatalities globally, with eleven deaths confirmed overseas and at least one in mainland France prior to this incident.

In light of these developments, the prosecutor has engaged a judge specializing in complex cases in Paris to oversee the investigation of Takata airbags implicated in similar failures, which are linked to a gas that deteriorates over time, particularly in humid and hot climates.

The victim was driving an older model vehicle that was under a recall campaign due to the issues associated with the Takata airbags.

A legal representative for the victim, Me Charles-Henri Coppet, indicated that Toyota and Mercedes had previously announced recalls for twenty vehicle models sold between 2001 and 2018. He also confirmed that he is representing eleven families whose loved ones have died or been injured as a result of similar airbag explosions in French overseas territories.

It remains unclear whether the victim received notification regarding the recall.

The interim measures for recalling approximately 250,000 vehicles have faced criticism for the difficulties posed to drivers who remain immobilized while awaiting repairs.

The accident involved a collision between the victim's vehicle and a heavy truck in an area reported to be hazardous, with emergency services noting that the driver was trapped in the vehicle upon their arrival and was in cardiac arrest.