Airbag Injuries: What Are the Primary, Common Causes?

Airbags, specifically frontal airbags, have saved tens of thousands of life since the 1970s when they were first introduced. The specific figure is somewhere around 40,000. While fatal consequences in a car crash can be prevented by those devices, during car incidents it can else end up leading to injuries. Some examples of the possible airbag injuries during a car crash include broken noses and facial lacerations. 

During extreme cases, a faulty airbag may end up counterproductive to its purposes of saving a life in the first place.

Airbag Injuries: Who's At Risk the Most?

In truth, people can fall victim to airbag injuries at any age. However, the most at-risk ones are babies, children, elderly folks and pregnant women.

1. When It Comes To Babies and Children

Children under the age of twelve should be transported in rear-facing car seats to prevent the risk of head injury caused by a frontal airbag if their car seat is buckled in the front seat. Each state usually has child restraint laws specific to them; it's vital for parents to inform themselves.

The fragility of people at this stage is much like that of children. They are far more prone to injury, owing largely to just how much more delicate their bones are.

2. When It Comes To Pregnant Women

Pregnant women are far more likely to be injured by airbags since their abdomens are quite close to the steering wheel. When an airbag deploys, there's a huge issue when it comes to space between the steering wheel and the belly of the pregnant woman. The airbag's force could end up leading to fetal injury.

When a pregnant woman is involved in an accident wherein the airbag is faulty and doesn't deploy, on the other hand, fetal injury is more likely. 

A good rule of thumb is for women who are well into the late stages of their pregnancy need to avoid being behind the wheel and driving.

Airbag Injuries

A well-made airbag will deploy in about three hundredths of a second after impact. The timing of airbag deployment can be controlled by the car’s safety system. If the safety system fails, an airbag undergoes a process called ‘inflation’ when the sensors determine that an accident occurred. 

Inflation involves gas being released from the canister and filling the bag, causing it to inflate. If the sensors do not recognize an accident, there will be no inflation, and the bag will not inflate.

The most common airbag issues that bring on injuries include, but are not limited to:

• Chemical problems
• Exploding bags
• Inflation problems
• Malfunctioning sensors
• On-off switches
• Previous deployment
• Seat positioning

Conclusion

Airbags are known for being a vital safety feature in any vehicle, whether it's a car or a van or the like. When they are not replaced after each deployment, however, they will likely become faulty and lead to injuries. The most at-risk for injuries from faulty airbags include pregnant women, children, the elderly and babies. Deployed airbags should be replaced for optimum safety.

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