Arkansas drivers who own a car with a keyless ignition should be aware that at least 18 deaths have been attributed to carbon monoxide poisoning associated with the car. Because it is possible to leave the car on accidentally and there is no automatic shutoff, a number of people have died. One was a woman who did not realize she had not turned off her car over Labor Day weekend while another was an 84-year-old man whose daughter is an attorney. She said that they got little response from the federal government after she wrote a letter about it.
In the absence of any action from the federal government, there are several lawsuits pending against automobile manufacturers regarding this issue. In 2011, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that there was a safety problem but did not act to change it. It is due to issue a new regulation in February 2016, but it will most likely apply only to new vehicles and not existing ones even though the agency has also said that altering cars to make them safer would not be expensive.
However, a senator from Pennsylvania is urging the Department of Transportation to take action and has said that existing cars should be made safer along with newly manufactured ones. He says that Congress may step in if this does not occur.
After the death of a loved one from an accident like this, a family may suffer economic consequences along with the emotional toll. It might be advisable to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the responsible party. When it is a company or a group of companies and many people are affected, families might want to discuss with an attorney the possibility of filing a class action lawsuit.