Overview

• An autopsy confirmed that the March 25 death of a Toyota Hilux driver in Guadeloupe was directly caused by the explosion of a defective Takata airbag.
• This marks the 12th fatality in France tied to Takata airbags, with 11 occurring in overseas territories and one in metropolitan France.
• The French Ministry of Justice has ordered all investigations into Takata airbag-related deaths to be centralized under the Juridiction Interrégionale Spécialisée (JIRS) in Paris.
• Over 2,700 vehicles in Guadeloupe remain under recall, with local distributors reporting sufficient stock of replacement airbags and ongoing outreach efforts.
• The defect in Takata airbags, linked to ammonium nitrate degradation in hot, humid climates, has led to global recalls involving millions of vehicles across dozens of brands.