Essential Things to Know About Airbags and Car Seat Safety
Posted by Artem Martynyuk on
Airbags are as crucial as car seatbelts. They both protect the driver and passengers in case of a car crash. While seat belts secure the vehicle occupants on their seats, airbags are responsible for providing extra protection to avoid injury.
Although airbags can have the credit for saving the lives of adults, their deployment may lead to severe problems for children. That is why users of vehicles like sports cars, trucks, or ordinary cars must consider these effects on car safety and children. The best option to avoid trouble would be to turn off this extra protection when a child occupies a seat.
Continue reading to gain more information about airbag safety.
Why Were Airbags Created?
Car manufacturers designed airbags out of flexible fabric envelopes. They created the airbags to inflate and neutralize impacts due to car crashes and collisions.
Airbags also work as extra protection along with the seat belt. Together they disperse the impact to the entire body so that the overall effect would not focus on one area that may be severely damaged.
How Do Airbags Work?
- Once an impact is detected, the airbag system’s electronic unit will signal the inflator in the airbag module.
- Once the system processes the signal, an igniter will start a chemical reaction to produce a gas responsible for inflating the flexible fabric envelopes.
- After the impact, the airbag will begin to deflate.
Impact of Airbags on Children
It is a terrible idea to place a child in the front passenger seat. The reason is that the child is at risk in the deployment zone of the airbags and would experience the full force of the airbag inflation. The deployment force can reach up to 200mph or more depending on the space or distance between the striking object.
You can imagine the power to be similar to that of a middle-weight knockout punch. The pressure could crush or, worse, kill a child.
If you have a child sitting in the front passenger seat, the best thing to do is turn off your airbags. Your primary priority should be to restrain the child properly using the seat belt, and it would be best to move the seat as far from the airbag deployment area as possible.
SRS Airbag Module and Seat Belt Repairs
Car manufacturers introduced the Supplemental Restraint System or SRS airbag system to supplement car seat safety. It significantly reduces the risk of injury through advanced adjustments to the activation of airbags. SRS controls every part of the car that could potentially harm passengers of all ages.
The SRS module also has control over how the airbag deploys during a car crash. It has another name, Electronic Crash Unit (ECU), which receives the signal from the crash impact sensors, immediately deploying the airbags. Through the SRS module, there is advanced coordination between car seat safety and airbags, saving lives without high-risk injury. In case of an accident, consult companies for an SRS airbag module reset.
Final Thoughts
As much as possible, children should not be in the front passenger seat of any vehicle. Airbags have power that can lead to serious injuries in case of deployment. But you can resort to some companies that offer SRS module repair in case of problems with these car parts so you can always be safe while you are on the road.
If you’re in need of SRS repair services, contact Repair My SRS today. We are an accident restoration company with expertise in airbag modules, seat belts, tensioners, retractors, and buckles. Call us today to learn more about what we can do for you.