Does Your Car Have an Airbag?
Tuesday, June 15th, 2010
Cars give us freedom, independence and a quick and easy way to get from point A to point B. Along with the convenience and joy of driving a car come the risks of getting in an accident. Every time you get into a vehicle you are putting your life on the line.
High-end luxury cars ($50,000 and up) have the newest cutting edge technology where the car practically drives itself. These high tech safety features might include: Traction control, anti-lock braking, back up sensors, back-up cameras, night vision technology, run-flat tires, blind spot / lane departure / brake assist technology and 6 to 8 airbags per car. There are even cars that will parallel park at the flip of a switch.
Even though there is all this fancy safety technology available the most effective thing you can do to keep safe is to wear your seatbelt. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) estimates that about 10,000 lives are saved every year by wearing seatbelts.
If you combine wearing your seatbelt with the standard safety equipment in most cars: head restraints, padded dashboards, collapsible steering columns, crumple zones and front airbags you have a fighting chance to walk away from most accidents. Again, the key is to wear your seatbelt!
While a seatbelt helps keep you from being thrown out of a vehicle during a crash, the airbag keeps you from being thrown about the vehicle. It helps slow you down and softens the blow by having you crash into a pillow-like bag instead of the steering wheel, dashboard or windshield.
Since 1998 the federal government required cars to have air bags in the front seats for the driver and passenger. NHTSA calculates that using seatbelts with airbags reduces the risk of death in a car accident by 61% and has saved over 28,000 lives. Some newer vehicles also have side-door airbags in the front and sometimes in the rear.
As in everything about automobiles, there is no standard when it comes to airbags. Some vehicles only have front airbags, others have side airbags only in the front, and some have airbags for the back seat passengers. As the technology advances the engineers keep adding more per vehicle.
When a car crashes into something at 8 to 14 mph, the front airbags will deploy. Various chemicals are mixed 
together to release a harmless nitrogen gas that blows up the airbag. It all happens at the blink of an eye – the bag literally explodes at 200 mph. The airbags deflate rather quickly afterwards. The thought is it needs to get out of the way so you can get out of the vehicle. There is frequently a release of white powder made up of cornstarch or talcum powder that is released into the air once the bag has deflated. This may cause some minor irritation to the throat and eyes, but once a window or door is opened it will go away.
Because the airbags explode out of their storage units, there are safety precautions you need to take so you won’t be injured from the exploding airbag.
The driver’s airbag is hidden in the steering column. Measure from your breast bone to the center of the steering wheel to make sure there is at least 10” between the two. If you fall short of the 10” try reclining the seat back slightly. If you still fall short, you should Google “pedal extensions” online and purchase a gas pedal & brake pedal extension for about $150.00.
Also, adjust your steering wheel so an exploding airbag will hit you in the chest and not your head or neck. If your steering wheel won’t adjust you can add a cushion to sit on.
The passenger’s airbag is located in the dashboard and in some cars the doors. Always have the seat set back as far as possible.
Regarding babies and children: If the front passenger seat has an airbag – then babies and kids up to 12 yrs old need to sit in the backseat. Exploding airbags have been known to kill a small baby. If there is no back seat in the vehicle and you child needs to sit in the front seat, then the airbag needs to be turned off! Some vehicles have an on/off switch; others need to have the switch installed. Go to www.safercar.gov or www.nhtsa.dot.gov for more detailed information.
If the SRS airbag warning light comes on in the dash of your vehicle, this means that the airbag will not work if you crash the vehicle until it has been repaired. NO, you can’t reuse an airbag. Once it has exploded, it needs to be replaced with a new on.
Whether you like them or not, airbags are here to stay. It’s important that you read your owners manual so you understand how many airbags your vehicle has and where they are located. Then you can make the adjustments necessary so you don’t get injured from the airbag if you get into an accident.
Safe and Happy Motoring,
Amy Mattinat
Owner: www.AutoCraftsmen.com
Automotive Expert Advisor on AskPatty.com
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