<table> </table> <em>From all points on the map, they share one thing in common: All are victims of fatal car wrecks in which front airbags did not deploy.</em></p><p><strong>Names: </strong>Hilton Thompson, 79, and Pansy Evans, 85</p><p><strong> Hometown: </strong>Ellsinore, Mo.</p><p><strong>Date of crash: </strong>Sept. 3, 2004</p><p><strong>The wreck: </strong>The siblings not wearing seat belts died in a newly purchased 2004 Cadillac Coupe de Ville that ran off a county road before striking an embankment and large rock head-on. The front wheel assembly, struts and bumper were destroyed, and the radiator support was shoved rearward. Crash-data analysis showed the first impact slowed the car by 37 mph in a second. They are buried next to each other.</p><p><strong>What automaker says: </strong>GM declined to comment.</p><p><strong>Name: </strong>Holly L. Martin, 20</p><p><strong>Hometown: </strong>Westport, Mass.</p><p><strong>Date of crash:</strong> March 14, 2004</p><p><strong>The wreck: </strong>Leaving a fundraiser for someone hurt in a traffic accident, she belted herself into the front-passenger seat of a 2000 Nissan Altima carrying three others, including the 18-year-old driver. He lost control and struck a clump of trees. The front occupants were thrown into the dashboard. A federal database recorded the accident as a front-end crash.</p><p><strong>What automaker says: </strong>Most of the damage was to the Altima&#8217;s side, and front airbags are not designed to deploy on side impacts.</p><p><strong>Name: </strong>Ruby Butler Hawkins (photo not available), 48 <strong> Hometown: </strong>Colquitt, Ga.</p><p><strong>Date of crash: </strong>June 15, 2001</p><p><strong>The wreck: </strong>Driving a 1999 Kia Sephia, she was taking her granddaughter to a doctor&#8217;s visit when a motorist swerved and struck Hawkins&#8217; vehicle head-on. She died two weeks later of blunt chest and abdominal injuries.</p><p><strong>What automaker says: </strong>Answering a lawsuit, Kia stated the car &#8220;was not defective in any respect&#8221; but may have been misused or abused. The lawsuit led to a settlement.</p><p><strong>Name: </strong>Phillip A. Howell, 40 <strong>Hometown: </strong>Marcellus, N.Y.</p><p><strong>Date of crash: </strong>Oct. 27, 2001</p><p><strong>The wreck: </strong>He was heading to work on a slick highway when a young, oncoming driver swerved into Howell&#8217;s lane, meeting his 2000 Chevrolet Silverado head-on. He left behind a wife and three children.</p><p><strong>What automaker says: </strong>GM declined to comment.</p><p><strong>Name: </strong>Bonnie Boyd, 65</p><p><strong>Hometown: </strong>Joplin, Mo.</p><p><strong>Date of crash: </strong>June 23, 2002</p><p><strong>The wreck: </strong>When her son suddenly fell ill behind the wheel of a 1999 Dodge Ram, the truck sped into a parked car and knocked down a restaurant sign. Though she was in her seat belt, Boyd&#8217;s head struck a cab grip inches above the nondeployed airbag.</p><p><strong>What automaker says: </strong>No legal action or crash reconstruction followed, leaving too little information for Chrysler to comment on whether the airbags failed.</p><p><strong>Name: </strong>Lynda Guyton, 65</p><p><strong>Hometown: </strong>Graniteville, S.C.</p><p><strong>Date of crash: </strong>March 1, 2004</p><p><strong>The wreck: </strong>Sensor in a 2003 Ford Crown Victoria allegedly failed to detect Guyton in the passenger seat during a violent, frontal crash in South Carolina. Guyton died several days later. Her son sued Ford.</p><p><strong>What automaker says: </strong>The car was &#8220;state of the art&#8221; and met all regulations. Ford settled the lawsuit but says settlements are not an admission of wrongdoing.