Vehicles have many built-in safety features such as adjustable headrests, traction control, anti-lock brakes, and seat belts. These features are designed to reduce injuries or the physical impact of a collision in a risky driving incident. Other modern built-in safety features in vehicles are airbags. An airbag is a big synthetic bag that inflates and deflates instantly when a vehicle collision occurs.

Airbags help to cushion passengers and driver’s neck or head from injuries arising from the forward movement in the event of a collision. The driver’s airbag is housed in the middle of the steering wheel pad, while the passenger’s airbag is fitted on the upper left part of the dashboard. Airbags also appear on the roof structures, roof pillars, and lower dashboard. If a vehicle has defective airbags, the airbags may fail to deploy in a collision making vehicle occupants suffer extensive injuries. In this blog, we will explain how airbags work and what kind of injuries you can sustain from airbag malfunction, which can help you seek compensation.

How Airbags Work

For many years the concept of airbags in the vehicles has existed, and to date, statistics reveal that they reduce the death risk by 30% in a direct frontal collision. How do these airbags work to elicit this safety to passengers and drivers? As soon as the vehicle begins to slow down due to an accident, the airbag inflates. When a passenger or driver’s head makes contact with the airbag, the airbag starts to deflate. The airbag will not solve the neck and head’s sudden backward movement problem if it is not designed to deflate, since the vehicle occupant’s head would just bounce off it.

The inflation and deflation of an airbag are made possible by a small explosion and a range of sensors. An accelerometer is also part of the airbag; it helps in sensing changes in speed. If it senses deceleration higher than a preset rate, which is more than the usual braking speed, it triggers the airbag circuit. An electrical current passes through a heating element by the circuit. The heating element will ignite a chemical explosive, and a large amount of harmless gas is released. The gas rushes and inflates into a nylon bag, fitted on the passenger side dashboard, or into a space behind the steering wheel.

When the airbag meets the passenger or driver’s head, it starts deflating with the gas leaving through small holes located at the edges of the bag. The airbag should have wholly deflated by the time the vehicle comes to a full stop.

Types of Airbags

In the car’s safety, airbags are not a new technology, and various types are fitted to safeguard the passengers’ and drivers’ lives. Some types of airbags include:

Knee Airbag

The knee airbags are designed to protect the passenger’s legs from severe injuries. They are located at the lower part of the dashboard, directly in front of the passenger’s knee. The knee airbags automatically fill the space between the dashboard and the passenger’s knee, and they protect them from injuries if a collision occurs.

Seat Belt Airbag

Seat belt airbags are meant to protect the drivers and passengers from injuries during a car collision. They are fitted on safety belts, increasing the surface area of the seat belt. They specifically protect the drivers and passengers from possible rib cage or chest injuries. The Mercedes ESF was the first car in 2009 to be fitted with this type of airbag, and since then, the experiment has proved successful.

Seat Cushion Airbag

Seat cushion airbags are designed to save the drivers and passengers from injuries from any form of accident. They are also of great help because they reduce fatality rates in case of a collision. Toyota IQ was the first vehicle to have seat cushion airbags to protect the pelvis if a front collision occurs.

Pedestrian Airbag

The pedestrian airbag is a new technology type of airbag in vehicle safety. It aims at reducing pedestrian fatality rates and protects them from possible injuries. These airbags appear at the vehicle’s hard part, such as at the edges of the bonnet, pillars, and bumper. It was a successful invention in 2012 and still is when Volvo Company introduced it in its new V40 vehicle model.

Side Torso Airbag

The side torso airbags lie at the door panel, and they also help to protect passengers and drivers in case of an accident. They help protect the pelvic and lower abdomen from injuries. There are two types of side torso airbags fitted in current vehicles. One is located at the softer upper chamber for the rib cage and the other at the pelvic region’s lower chamber.

Rear Curtain Airbags

Almost every vehicle has this type of airbags, and they are fitted to protect the passengers and drivers from severe head injuries. In 2008, IQ Micro was Toyota Company’s first vehicle to be fitted with rear curtain airbags.

Side Tubular or Curtain Airbag

The side tubular or curtain airbag first appeared in BMW 5 series and seven series in 1998. It protects passengers and drivers from head injuries for up to 45%. The current vehicles such as MPVs and SUVs are fitted with these airbags, and all three rows of passengers and drivers are protected.

Side Airbags

Side airbags are designed to save the passengers and drivers from injuries and side vehicle fatal accidents. They are also called curtain airbags, and they are fitted in advanced vehicles to protect the passengers and drivers from head injuries.

The Airbag Control Unit

In a vehicle, the central airbag control unit (ACU0 controls the airbags. The ACU monitors the functioning of different sensors within a vehicle. Some of the sensors that the airbag control unit monitors are:

  • Impact sensors

  • Accelerometers

  • Side door pressure monitors

  • Break pressure sensors

  • Gyroscopes

  • Wheel speed sensors

  • Seat occupancy sensors

Within its circuitry, the ACU contains capacitors to ensure that its modules are always powered. Therefore, even if the ACU connection to the vehicle battery connection malfunctions in a crash, the airbags will still deploy. The airbag concealed within the steering wheels helps to shield the driver in case of a collision. The airbag hidden within the dashboard helps to protect the front passenger. Other airbags are located within the doors or plastic flaps. In case of a collision, the plastic flaps tear open due to the inflating airbag’s force.

The airbag deflates when it collides with the vehicle occupant. Airbags contain small vent holes through which gas escapes after a collision. The size and the volume of the vents in an airbag vary depending on the vehicle type. An airbag helps to reduce the force experienced by the vehicle occupant in a collision. It supplements the seat belt in protecting a vehicle occupant in an accident.

The ACU collects signals from different sensors to determine the crash’s force, severity, and angle of impact. Depending on the information collected from the sensors, the ACU deploys the necessary restraint devices. The ACU may also deploy the side-mounted airbags alongside the driver and front passenger airbags. The ACU may also deploy the pre-tensioners on the seat belts as well as the curtain airbags.

Pyrotechnic devices activate the restraint devices. The alternative name for a pyrotechnic device is an electric match or an initiator. The initiator has an electric conductor surrounded by combustible material. The electric conductor activates in less than two milliseconds when the electric current is between 1-3 amperes.

The electric conductor’s heating leads to the ignition of the combustible material and initiates the gas generator. This gas drives the piston that helps to pull the slack from the seat belt. The initiator ignites the solid propellant inside an airbag inflator. When the propellant burns, it produces inert gas that inflates the airbag instantly. The airbag must inflate fast enough to shield the vehicle occupant at the point of impact with the dashboard or another vehicle part.

The ACU decides to inflate the airbags within 30 milliseconds after the onset of a collision. If an airbag inflates slowly or too late, a vehicle occupant will be at risk of colliding with the inflating airbag and suffering injuries. Usually, the front passenger airbag is bigger and requires more gas to inflate fully. This is because more distance exists between the passenger seat and the dashboard.

In case of a rear-end collision, side-impact collision, or a rollover accident, the front airbags do not protect the vehicle occupants. Airbags will also not be beneficial in a subsequent collision because they only inflate once and deflate instantly after. Therefore, vehicle occupants need to wear seat belts, even if a vehicle has airbags. A seat belt helps to position a vehicle occupant to ensure that they get the best out of an airbag in a collision. Seat belts also help to secure vehicle occupants during the initial and subsequent clashes.

Factors That Could Trigger Airbag Deployment

Usually, airbags deploy in frontal or near frontal vehicle collisions. In the U.S., the law requires airbags to deploy in a deceleration of 23km/h in a barrier collision. In real life, vehicles may crash at different angles and not just the frontal collision. The forces resulting from the crash are not always well distributed in the front of the car. Usually, airbag sensors monitor deceleration.

Therefore, if a vehicle’s undercarriage strikes an object on the roadway, the airbags may inflate. The majority of airbags will deploy when a car is on fire. Airbags will deploy when temperatures are between 150 and 200 degrees Celsius. This safety feature is known as autoignition, and it helps ensure that high temperatures will not lead to an explosion of the entire airbag system. Modern vehicles have complex airbag triggering algorithms to help prevent unnecessary deployment of airbags. Some cars even have the option of turning off the passenger airbag.

Caution While Handling Airbags

Airbags are sensitive and require proper handling. Unexpected airbag deployment may occur during vehicle servicing, and this may lead to severe injuries. Adequate installation of airbags is also crucial because defective or improperly installed airbags may not perform as expected. Airbags may retain power for up to thirty minutes after disconnecting the vehicle battery system. Some countries regulate airbags as dangerous explosives that should only be handled by vehicle experts with proper training.

Some vehicle makers may call their consumers for a replacement of the airbags after a particular duration. This helps to ensure that airbags are reliable in case of an accident. However, at times, an airbag replacement may not be a viable or economic option, especially for older vehicles whose value has regressed over time. For older cars, the cost of fitting new airbags could be higher than the vehicle’s value. Some vehicle manufacturers state that airbags do not require a replacement during the life of the car. However, despite the guarantees given by manufacturers, airbags require careful handling.

The Limitations of Airbags

The majority of airbags have an impeccable safety record. However, there are some limitations to the ability of airbags to provide excellent protection to vehicle occupants. For instance, frontal airbags cannot protect vehicle occupants in case of a side-impact collision. Injuries resulting from side-impact collisions are often more severe than those resulting from frontal collisions. Manufacturers are increasingly installing protective airbag curtains and side airbags in modern vehicles. The airbag curtains and side airbags help to protect vehicle occupants against the adverse injuries of side-impact collisions.

Airbags can only deploy once. Therefore, the airbags will not be useful in the subsequent collisions after the initial crash. The airbags may not offer ample protection in rollover accidents or accidents involving multiple vehicle collisions.

Airbags cannot offer protection in extreme accidents, especially when passenger vehicles collide with larger vehicles like tractor-trailers. The passenger vehicle may enter beneath the trailer resulting in an underride accident. In this case, there will be no barrier between the tractor-trailer and the passenger vehicle except the windshield. Underride collisions bypass all the safety features of passenger vehicles. The airbags may not deploy on time because the car may not decelerate adequately when the windshield comes into contact with the tractor-trailer or other larger vehicle.

The majority of airbag systems are disabled when you turn off the vehicle ignition. Unexpectedly turning off the ignition also stops the engine, power brakes, and power steering and could be the fundamental cause of an accident. If an extreme vehicle collision occurs when the ignition is turned off, the airbags will not likely deploy and will, therefore, not offer the needed protection.

Injuries and Fatalities Resulting from Vehicle Airbags

In the past, airbags have been known to inflict injuries and even lead to vehicle occupants’ death. Airbag injuries and fatalities are more likely to occur when vehicle occupants are not wearing seatbelts. The first vehicle mortality resulting from an airbag injury occurred in 1990. However, with the invention of advanced airbags with low-inflation force bags and sensors, injuries and fatalities resulting from airbags have significantly reduced. Currently, deaths resulting from unexpected airbag deployment are infrequent. However, people continue to suffer injuries due to faulty airbags and unexpected airbag deployments.

If a vehicle occupant is in contact with an airbag or too close to it when it deploys, injuries may occur. Most unconscious drivers who smash on the steering wheels may sustain injuries from airbags. If you slide forward in your seat during the pre-collision braking, you may sustain airbag injuries. You could also sustain injuries if you are not wearing a seat belt or seated too close to an airbag at the deployment time.

For safety, drivers are often advised to avoid crossing their arms above the steering wheel. However, most drivers tend to overlook this safety precaution. If an airbag deploys when a driver is taking turns, the driver’s hard could be thrown to their face, causing loss of control of the vehicle and further injuries.

With the advancement of airbags, manufacturers have developed advanced airbags whose deployment depends on several factors. The factors include the weight, position, size, and the restrain status of a vehicle occupant. With these injuries, there has been a decrease in airbag injuries in children and smaller adults who are the main culprits of airbag injuries.

Parents must avoid placing infant restraint in the front seat, especially rear-facing restraints. These restraints place an infant’s head close to the airbag. In case the airbag deploys, it may lead to extensive injuries or even death of the infant. However, some modern vehicles have a switch that allows the owner to disable the passenger airbag on the passenger’s side.

If a vehicle has side airbags, vehicle occupants should refrain from leaning against the doors or the vehicle’s windows. Vehicle occupants should also avoid placing objects between them and the side of the car. Occupants should avoid hanging items on the side of a vehicle because these could be hazardous if the side airbags deploy. Leaning against the door could also lead to injuries if an airbag mounted on a vehicle’s seat deploys.

Common Forms of Airbag Malfunctioning

Airbags should always be tested to identify potential failures or any issues before they are fitted in vehicles. The factors that often contribute to airbag malfunctioning include:

Seat Positioning

When a person sits upright with his or her feet on the floor, airbags work best. Improper positioning or designing of seats may make the airbag less effective.

Chemical and Inflation Problems

Some airbags may inflate slowly, and this is not enough to cushion the effect of a collision. On the other hand, an airbag may inflate too rapidly and burst. Some chemicals used to enable airbag deployment might cause hearing loss, burn injuries, blindness, or breathing problems.

Previous Deployment

After each deployment, the airbag requires a replacement. However, some second-hand vehicle dealers may try to save on the costs by re-using deployed airbags. As a result, the airbags may be unable to release appropriately or tear.

On-off Switches

In some instances, people with medical issues could be in the passenger’s seat, and it could be safer for them during a collision that the frontal airbag does not deploy. In such circumstances, severe injuries could occur if the airbags don’t have on-off switches.

Sensor Malfunctions

If the vehicle’s sensor can detect a collision, braking, and the correct speed, the airbag will deploy effectively. The airbag may fail to deploy when a crash occurs, or activate when there’s no crash in the event a sensor is not functioning properly.

Exploding bags

The airbag’s inflators may explode if the chemical propellant does not have a proper drying agent. This defect may lead to spraying of shrapnel on the passengers and driver’s bodies and faces, causing injuries or deaths.

Injuries Due to Defective Airbags

Vehicle occupants may suffer several injuries due to a defective airbag. Some of the common damages that may result from defective airbags are:

  • Burns from the chemical substances that are released during an airbag deployment

  • Eye injuries resulting from Shrapnel

  • Airway and lung irritation due to inhalation of chemicals released during an airbag deployment

  • Burns and abrasions due to the speed of the airbags

Who is liable if an injury occurs due to defective airbags? Most people assume that vehicle manufacturers are automatically responsible if injuries result from faulty airbags. However, lawsuits revolving around defective airbags may have several responsible parties. Liable parties may include vehicle manufacturers, vehicle part manufacturers, and vehicle maintenance companies.

If you suffer injuries due to defective airbags, you may recover damages like:

  • Medical expenses - this is the money spent in seeking treatment for injuries sustained

  • Lost wages - you may no longer be able to go to work after suffering injuries due to defective airbags

  • Loss of earning capacity - you may be unable to continue earning money in the future

  • Loss of enjoyment of life - the injuries you sustain may alter your life make you unable to participate in the activities you like

  • Pain and suffering

  • Punitive damages - the court may award punitive damages if the liable party was extremely negligent or reckless.

Find a Personal Injury Attorney Near Me

If you have suffered injuries due to defective airbags, you should seek compensation from the liable parties. The parties at fault may not be willing to accept the blame. You need a competent attorney to help you fight for your rightful compensation. The Personal Injury Attorney Law Firm provides the best legal representation in San Diego, contact us at 619-625-8707 and speak to one of our attorneys today.