Massachusetts Personal Injury Library
Airbags May Fail to Deploy in an Accident
Airbag Safety
While airbags have saved thousands of lives and have been required equipment on cars since 1999, there are some safety concerns.
Significant injuries can occur when an airbag deploys, as well as when they deploy at the wrong time or fail to deploy entirely during an accident.
While these instances are rare, the effects of defective airbag deployment can result in burns and lacerations as well as head and eye injuries.
Types of Airbags
Airbags are car safety devices designed to inflate rapidly in the event of a collision to prevent the occupants from striking hard objects, such as the steering wheel and dashboard.
There are 2 basic types of airbags:
- Frontal airbags
- Side-impact air bags
Frontal Airbags
Frontal airbags are designed to protect the front-seat occupants of the vehicle. The airbags are typically located in the steering wheel for drivers and inside the instrument panel or dashboard for front-seat passengers.
When a vehicle is involved in a front-impact collision, the occupants continue moving forward due to the laws of physics. Frontal airbags work alongside seatbelts to prevent the heads and chests of the occupants from aggressively hitting the steering wheel, dashboard, or windshield.
Frontal airbags are designed to deploy only in moderate to severe crashes.
The amount the airbag inflates is now determined by sensors that can detect whether or not the occupant is wearing a seatbelt, the speed of the car, and other factors.
Side-Impact Airbags
Side-impact airbags are designed to deploy if the airbag sensors indicate a collision on the side of the vehicle. Side-impact airbags that provide head protection are extremely valuable in the event of a rollover by protecting the head from outside objects including cars, trees, or the road.
In the event of a side-impact crash, some side-impact airbags deploy within 10-20 milliseconds.
Certain auto-makers design their side-impact airbags to inflate simultaneously with the frontal airbags to minimize the amount of occupant movement during a collision.
Curtain side airbags (side-impact airbags at head level) are often designed to remain inflated longer than some frontal or other side-impact airbags can protect the head as well as prevent the occupant from being ejected from the vehicle during a rollover.
If you or someone you love has sustained injuries as the result of a defective airbag, or an airbag that failed to deploy during an accident, contact the injury attorney Thomas Kiley for a FREE CONSULTATION regarding your case.
Call 1-888-208-1695 today.
