Death Toll Rises Due to Faulty Ignition Switches

The death toll tied to faulty ignition switches in General Motors small cars has risen to at least 19, the chief of GM’s victim settlement fund has determined. The number is likely to go higher. The chief of GM’s victim settlement fund said recently that he has determined that 19 wrongful death claims are eligible for payments from GM. General Motors’ estimate of deaths has stood at 13 for months, although the automaker acknowledged the possibility of a higher count. GM received 125 death claims due to the faulty switches in older-model small cars such as the Chevrolet Cobalt.

GM Knew of Flaw for Years

GM engineers first knew of the ignition switch flaw a decade ago, but the company publicly acknowledged it for the first time in February. It has now recalled 2.6 million cars related to the problem. Drivers of certain small Chevrolet, Pontiac, and Saturn cars can inadvertently bump the ignition switch out of run, disabling the power steering, anti-lock braking, and airbags. Greater scrutiny of GM’s handling of vehicle issues led to a stream of recalls; the company has issued 65 this year for a total of nearly 30 million vehicles.

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