Airbags - A Necessary Feature That Can Save Lives
Submitted by Andy_B on Tuesday, 11 January 2022 Page Views: 309
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Being in an accident is inevitable, but it does not mean you cannot do anything to prevent the level of injuries sustained in the collision. Most of the injuries and damage that result from an accident are due to people hitting other objects in the vehicle and the body and head hitting the vehicle's interior surface upon impact.This is why safety seat belts and airbags are two essential safety features in the car that can help in preventing injuries. The only thing that is given importance and seen as a safety feature in vehicles is the safety seat belts. Airbags are not given much attention, not until in case of an accident. That’s when people realize the importance of these safety features.
If, unfortunately, you collide with another vehicle, airbags burst out of the dashboard faster than you would imagine and offer you cushioning in time to protect you against harmful objects and thus prevent injuries to the head, neck, chest, and spine. So it is important for you to understand how they work, their benefits and risks, and how often you should check and replace airbags. Continue reading to learn more about one of the essential safety features in your vehicle.
What is an airbag?
Airbags are just that; they are bags filled with gas. Airbag offers an additional feature to other safety measures, meaning it supplements them in protecting you. This is why it is also known as a supplementary restraint system. The seat belts and airbags work together to reduce your speed upon impact and prevent you from hitting other objects in the car, such as the steering wheel, dashboard, or side door. So how do they work? What is the principle behind their deployment?How do airbags work?
Airbags are essential and common safety features installed in vehicles around the world. Their main aim is to reduce the victim's speed upon impact and reduce fatalities. Airbags have a limited time to act in an interval when the vehicle crashes with another vehicle or an object, and the victim's body hits the steering wheel or dashboard. The airbag inflates when the car slows down after the collision.It does this rapidly in 1/20th of a second; even before the crash's impact starts affecting the people inside the vehicle. The airbags then start to deflate once you come in contact with it. The deflation speed will depend upon how hard you hit the airbag upon sudden collision. If your head hits the airbag very hard, then the airbag will deflate much slower to cushion you. This is to prevent your head from bouncing back and causing bodily injuries.
There are three components in place to allow the effective completion of this task, including:
1) The bag
It is made from thin nylon material coated with talcum powder. This bag is kept folded in the steering wheel and sometimes in the dashboard and seat door, depending on where you have the airbags installed.2) The sensor
The sensor present in the system signals the inflation of the airbag when an impact occurs. The sensor contains a built-in accelerometer and is connected to a mechanical switch which changes direction when there is a change in mass. This, in turn, shuts the electrical contact, and a signal is sent to the sensor regarding the crash. The sensor will then inflate with force equal to 16 to 24 km/ hour and sometimes more than that.3) The inflation system
The inflation system is the part of the airbag system which acts upon collision. This consists of potassium nitrate and sodium azide, which react together and produce nitrogen gas. This nitrogen gas inflates your airbag.What are the benefits and risks of airbags?
· Airbags are designed to inflate if an abrupt decrease in speed or impact indicates a crash to prevent injuries. The airbags present in your vehicle will protect you and other passengers of the car by:· Reducing impact force and preventing the bouncing of head back and forth by decreasing the distance and absorbing shock.
· Providing cushioning for your head, neck, chest, and spine and thus prevent injuries.
· Keeping the victim inside the car and thus lowering the risk of them being pushed out of the window upon impact.
All these benefits of airbags will help prevent fatal injuries like broken bones, severed spine, traumatic brain injury, or other such fatal injuries. However, sometimes it happens that the deployment of airbags causes harm and can even result in the person's death. This can happen because of the following:
Force of inflation
The force with which airbags are deployed can be up to 200 mph. This force can cause internal injuries and bone fractures if you are too close to the site from which airbags will come out, such as the steering wheel, dashboard, or side door.Airbag deployment ignition
Airbags are inflated and deployed due to ignition that produces nitrogen gas. In some situations, this ignition can set alight the volatile components present in the vehicle or fumes of gasoline and thus pose a risk of fatal burns to the passengers. The sensor in your car detects a crash and sends a signal that causes an explosion resulting in the production of nitrogen gas that fills the airbags.Talcum powder
The airbag is made of nylon material coated with talcum powder to allow easy and quick release in case of a crash. The airbag deploys with force, causing the talcum powder to move. The fine particles of this powder spread in the air creating a dust cloud. This can cause breathing and respiratory problems for the people inside the vehicle.
How often do you need to check your vehicle's airbags?
Regular care and maintenance of your vehicle at the mechanic's shop can make all the difference in traffic collisions and crashes on the road. Usually, everyone focuses on the tires and vehicle oil changes, but an important aspect is left unchecked. This important part of your vehicle is its safety features, including the airbags.Airbags can protect you from fatal injuries in case of an unfortunate collision, which is why their proper installation and regular maintenance are essential. Generally, the airbag system needs to be checked every 10 years from the vehicle's manufacture date and every two years.
You must get a vehicle inspection done by a skilled mechanic before purchasing a used vehicle. This inspection will bring to notice any faulty part present in the vehicle. Missing airbags or faulty ones will not be able to deploy in case of accidents and thus pose a threat to your life.
Since airbags can only be used once, you should get them replaced by certified repair centers to avoid faulty and inferior quality airbags. Moreover, once they have been deployed in an accident, you need to get them replaced. Scammers install for you inferior quality, faulty, or no airbags in an attempt to pocket the cost of good quality and manufacturer-produced airbags. There are many scammers even in this field, so you need to be wary of them by:
· Ensure the airbags are new and purchased from the manufacturer by asking for the invoice of the airbags.
· Ensure the airbags are new and from the manufacturer by asking the experts to inspect the airbags in their sealed package before they are installed in the vehicle.
Airbags play an important role in averting fatal injuries during accidents. This is why a mechanic's faulty and improper installation or maintenance can be the basis for a claim in case you get hurt because of it.
So if you have been injured in an accident and your airbag did not deploy, or it injured you, you can contact Product Liability Attorney in CT. Experienced and skilled lawyers can review your situation and determine the type of claim you can file to get the compensation you deserve. Sustaining injuries and suffering damages due to another party's negligence can be frustrating, so you should do the necessary to hold them accountable and get your rightful compensation.
The bottom line
Reading about how useful airbags can be in case of vehicle collisions, you can assume that these airbags are a good idea for any vehicle. In various studies and reports, they have been shown to reduce injuries and fatalities upon sudden impact and collision of vehicles. But it is also important to understand that airbags are inflated with a fierce explosion. This has its pros, also has major cons. Airbags risk breaking bones and causing internal damage if the human body is too close to them upon their deployment.Moreover, airbags are unsafe for children due to their small size. But with advancing technologies and researches, airbag mechanism and system has improved to a great extent. This makes them more effective and safer. The newest production of airbags ensures that they inflate and explode with a reduced force but at the same time offer the same effect as before.
So it's important to keep working airbags in your vehicle and ensure they are regularly checked. Despite having problems, airbags are one of the most effective systems available, which is why they are important. Along with seat belts, airbags will protect your life and ensure that you sustain the least injuries possible in case of an accident.
Photo credits: Marcel Langthim,
