Watchdog says 303 people died in car models recalled by General Motors
Watchdog says 303 died when airbags failed to deploy, far more than 12 claimed by carmaker
US safety regulators have recorded 303 deaths when airbags failed to deploy in 1.6 million compact cars recalled last month by General Motors, according to a study released by a safety watchdog.
The new report and higher death toll ratchet up the pressure on GM, which has said it has reports of 12 deaths in 34 crashes in the recalled cars.
GM did not recall the cars until February, despite learning of problems with the ignition switch in 2001 and issuing related service bulletins to dealers with suggested remedies in 2005.
The carmaker is facing increasing pressure to compensate victims and create a US$1 billion fund, even if some would-be plaintiffs are barred from suing under the terms of GM's emergence from bankruptcy in 2009.
The Centre for Auto Safety said it referenced crash and fatality data from the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
GM said the new report was based on "raw data" and "without rigorous analysis, it is pure speculation to attempt to draw any meaningful conclusions".
Clarence Ditlow, the centre's executive director, said, "NHTSA could and should have initiated a defect investigation to determine why airbags were not deploying in Cobalts and Ions in increasing numbers."