The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently announced a recall for nearly 38,500 Pontiac G8 vehicles built between November 2007 and January 2009. Part of thesafety system in the affected vehicles is defective, which can cause an airbag deployment delay, according to Fox News.

The front seat-position sensor on the passenger's side causes a 30-millisecond delay in deployment of the dual-stage frontal passenger air bag. While this time increment may be shorter than the blink of an eye, the NHTSA reports that it could be enough to increase the risk of head injuries to anyone seated in the passenger seat in the event of a collision.

General Motors will reprogram the sensing and diagnostic modules in all affected vehicles free of charge.

Drivers who want to improve the safety of their own vehicles can consider buying an extended vehicle warranty, which will cover the cost of maintenance and repairs. Regular tune-ups will ensure that all the components of the vehicle are running smoothly, as nearly any issue may increase the risk of something going wrong on the road.