Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
Airbag Redesigns
Airbags were originally intended to provide additional safety measures in vehicles but wide-spread accounts of injuries caused by defective airbags have led to several government-ordered redesigns.
There are three airbag designs on the road today, and consumers should be cognizant of which design is in their vehicle as there are varying risks associated with each of them.
First Generation Airbags
In 1984, the government issued a regulation requiring all cars built after 1989 to be equipped with a driver side airbag. The regulation stimulated the production of airbags and safety experts took notice of some problems associated with the devices.
First-generation bags were designed to protect an unbelted adult male at the 50th percentile of body height and weight in a front-end accident. The bags were designed to deploy at 140-200 miles per hour (within .05 seconds of a crash) to meet the safety requirement.
Children and small adults were killed by the bags as a result of the high-velocity deployment speed.
Second Generation Airbags (post-1998 airbags)
Deaths caused by airbags peaked in 1997 with 53 people killed by the devices – 31 of which were children. The federal government allowed car manufacturers to “depower” airbags, which means the bags would inflate with 20-35% less energy.
After the redesign:
- 9.5% of children were injured in airbag-deployed crashes, compared to 15% pre-1998 airbags
- 8% of children 3-8 years of age were badly injured in airbag-deployed crashes, compared to 20% pre-1998 airbags
A consequence of the depowered second-generation airbags was the inability to restrain large un-belted vehicle occupants.
Third Generation Airbags (Certified Advanced Airbags)
Advanced technology airbags started appearing in vehicles in 2003. By 2007, all new passenger vehicles were required to have certified advanced airbags.
The airbags have features that tailor deployment to crash severity and occupant characteristics such as:
- Seat belt status
- Occupant weight
- Seating position
- Presence of rear-facing child seat
These airbags are designed to deploy at higher crash severity for belted occupants than for unbelted occupants.
Advances in technology have decreased injuries and fatalities associated with airbags, but consumers should follow airbag safety tips to minimize the risk of injury associated with the devices.
If you, or someone you love, have been injured by an airbag, an experienced personal injury and product liability attorney can help. Contact attorney Tom Kiley for a FREE Consultation regarding your personal injury case. You may be entitled to compensation for your injury as a result of a malfunctioning or defective airbag.
Call 1-888-208-1695 today.
