Airbags were once considered to only have a service life of around 10 years - I know that when I was looking at buying a Volvo V70 back in 2006/7 I was looking carefully for one that was not over 10 years old. The advice did change during that time to the life span being greater than that however, so wasn't the issue that it was going to be.
Perhaps this is the cause for a poor design - or they just forgot that the Irish liked the same chemicals when loaded in the back of a truck for a bit of destruction.
To ProdigyRF: Just tell your DiL to drive carefully; the chance of it repeating the event that killed the person is reduced if she doesn't crash. It's really quite simple... I know it sounds flippant, but I drive a 1992 4x4 with no airbags, ABS or traction control (other than my right foot) and I drive it differently to how I know I can drive something with ABS etc. Likewise, when I'm on the bikes (either motorised or human powered) I ride differently and more aware of the other drivers. It's a bit like the old "if there was a spike in the middle of the steering wheel people would drive differently"
Whilst you recognise that the car has an
EuroNCAP rating of 4 stars, this was based on there being the supplementary restraint system of an airbag; the performance without an airbag is quite different...
But if you're really that worried about it, just sell the thing and get something that isn't affected by the recall...