NHTSA groups Takata airbag recall repairs by priority

Back in July, we discussed the massive recall of several different motor vehicle makes and models due to defective airbags. Since then, several auto companies, including Honda and Toyota, have announced they will no longer use airbag parts made by Takata, at least until it find a way to prevent its airbags from inflating with too much force.

The recall now involves 19.2 million vehicles in the U.S. alone, making it the largest recall of its kind in the country’s history. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is now in charge of the recall effort, and wants to speed up repairs.

Unfortunately, there are not enough replacement parts to cover all 19.2 million vehicles. NHTSA must ration them, and is prioritizing vehicles it says are at especially high risk of causing injuries, which it has listed in a “Priority One” group, NBC News reports.

Among those vehicles on the Priority One are nine models from Honda, seven from Fiat Chrysler, and five from Toyota. Numerous other automakers are also on the list.

The region those vehicles are currently being driven seems to matter, too. NHTSA says that being in a state or U.S. territory with high humidity makes the defective airbags especially vulnerable to potentially deadly explosion. The agency is targeting states such as Alabama, Florida and Georgia, as well as Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Readers no doubt noticed that Pennsylvania is not on the Priority One list. But anyone who is not sure if their vehicle contains defective Takata airbags can check a list provided on this government website.