Risks of Airbags

While airbags are an important safety feature in a car, they can kill. Most cars have airbags on the front drivers and front passenger seats. If you have a head-on collision, they will inflate sharply, at around 200 mph. It takes only 1/20 of a second for an airbag to inflate. It starts to deflate immediately as there are two holes at the bottom. Airbags are a good safety feature, but there are risks.

Children and small adults

Small children should not be put in the front passenger seat of a car. Children who are 12 years old and younger should generally not be sitting in front passenger seats, but some older children are small for their ages, so parents should take this into consideration. Children have been badly injured or even killed when the bag explodes, hitting them in the faces and even smothering them. Also, if you are a small person, you would probably be sitting nearer to the steering wheel. If the bag opens, you are at risk of injury or smothering. Recline the seat a little and add a cushion to avoid this possibility. Always ensure that seat belts are secure since even the slightest movement can add to the risk.

If you wear glasses, your eyes are at risk since the airbag would hit your face. Also, smoking in the car could be an issue. When the airbag deploys, it would hit your face with a cigarette in your mouth and there's airbag gas that's released, so it could be extremely dangerous. If you are eating at the time the airbag opens, the food could be rammed down your throat and you could choke. Anything moving in the car when the airbag explodes can cause injury. Your purse could be sitting on the passenger seat and fly up as the bag opens, injuring you or your passenger. So be aware of these possibilities and avoid them when possible.

Sometimes airbags can be faulty. An airbag warning light on the dashboard should be noted and dealt with immediately. If you are driving fast on a highway when the bag deploys for no apparent reason, you could cause a major accident. Airbags can sometimes fly open after an accident and cause injury. Ensure your airbags are safe and have them checked regularly. If you car is old--over 10 year--it is worth having the airbag checked and replaced if necessary