The Parliamentary Committee on Commerce is reviewing the possibility of immobilising vehicles equipped with defective Takata airbags. After the death of 24-year-old Kyriakos, faulty airbags are also linked to the death of 19-year-old Styliani Georgalli.
The committee is considering legislative action to inform the public and possibly immobilise vehicles with Takata airbags. Maria Loui, the grieving mother of Kyriakos Oxinos, who lost his life due to a malfunctioning airbag, urged for immediate action, labelling these vehicles as “lethal threats.”
According to the committee, in addition to Kyriakos’ death in January 2023, defective airbags are suspected in the death of 19-year-old Styliani Georgalli. Another incident involved a young man who sustained serious injuries from shrapnel and has undergone multiple surgeries. The Road Transport Department (RTD) estimated 12,000 European vehicles with such airbags are on the road, but fears are that the figure could rise to between 25,000 and 30,000 if vehicles imported from Japan and Singapore are included.
“Who ensures my safety as a citizen?”
Speaking before the committee and in subsequent statements, Maria Loui expressed frustration, stating she learned about Takata airbags only after her son’s death. She said, “I stand here today because I lost a child, a swimmer, an educated young man with dreams. Overnight, he was brought back to me in a box. I had never heard of Takata or RAPEX. Am I, as a citizen, expected to know about RAPEX? Who protects me?”
Ms Loui expressed her anger at the lack of measures and described the defective airbags as a “ticking time bomb” due to the insufficient public awareness. She emphasised that Styliani Georgalli might still be alive had action been taken after her son’s death.
“I hope measures are in place before more lives are lost, as explosions can happen suddenly, even due to weather conditions,” she said, adding, “If we continue ignoring this issue, it would be criminal.”
“Vehicles Should Be Immobilised”
Petros Xenophontos, former Minister of Agriculture and former RTD Director, argued as a road safety expert that vehicles with these airbags should be immobilised. He suggested that RTD could notify the public through an SMS messaging system.
“Once someone is notified, the vehicle should be immobilised until the airbag is replaced, and costs should be covered by the importer,” he stated, noting that importers are registered with customs and this applies to both European and third-country vehicles.
“These vehicles absolutely must be immobilised,” he said, likening these airbags to “a weapon that could go off.”
RTD Director Giorgos Loukas noted that the department issued a statement on the matter last Thursday and coordinated with the Cyprus Electricity Authority (CEA) to include additional information about the recall on electricity bills.
Committee Chair Kyriakos Hadjiyiannis described the state’s approach as that of “a spectator,” adding, “There are tens of thousands of ticking bombs on the roads.” He urged legislative action before Christmas to address the issue.
MPs insisted that defective airbags should be replaced at the importers’ expense and criticised dealerships reportedly charging between €75 and €160 for vehicle inspections related to the airbag issue.
After the session, DISY MP Nikos Sykas referred to the situation as a “ticking bomb” and expressed concern over the tragic cases of the young man who has undergone 30 surgeries and still lives with injuries, as well as Kyriakos and possibly Styliani. He stressed that DISY, along with other parties, would propose legislation to resolve the issue and address the state’s failures over time.
AKEL MP Kostas Costa commented, “We cannot go on like this.”
“We need to find a solution for the issue of defective airbags. It’s unacceptable that, a year after we discussed this in October, we are still waiting for state action to inform the public and set up a platform for information,” he said.
DIPA MP Michalis Giakoumi added, “It’s unacceptable in a law-abiding state to have vehicles with dangerous, defective components still on the roads, which have been proven to cause tragedies globally.” He insisted that public safety is non-negotiable and should not rely solely on registered letters or MOT test checks.
Source: CNA
