In the 1960s, GM developed the first domestically available airbag system in a car, the Oldsmobile Toronado. It was marketed as an ACRS, or Air Cushion Restraint System. However, the system was dropped from the 1977 model due to low demand and lack of consumer interest. At that time whotimes, the United States was experiencing a significant increase in car accidents. In fact, over one thousand people die from car accidents every week.
This is why it is important to have a car accident lawyer you can trust on call. They can help you navigate a car accident claim and get your losses recovered.
Frontal airbags reduce fatalities
Frontal airbags have been used in cars for many years now, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that frontal airbags have saved the lives of about 28,000 people in the past few years. These life-saving devices have reduced fatalities for drivers and front-seat passengers by about thirty-two percent. In fact starsfact, a combination of an airbag and a seat belt can reduce the risk of death by 61 percent.
A study of occupant death rates in cars with dual airbags found that right-front passenger deaths were 11% lower than expected when airbags were installed. In total, 73 fewer people died in frontal crashes in 1992-1995 model year cars with dual airbags. In addition, the risk of death from a frontal crash was reduced by 14 percent for front-seat passengers who used their seat belts. However, the risk of death from a front-seat crash increased by thirty-six percent for occupants who were younger than 10 years old.
Side airbags reduce injuries
Recent studies have shown that side airbags reduce the risk of death in car crashes by up to 37 percent. In addition, these airbags can protect the head during the crash. It is estimated that side airbags can reduce motor vehicle crash fatalities by about 2,000 people per year.
The side airbags in cars are typically smaller and deploy with less energy than frontal airbags. However, these airbags can still cause injury. While there are documented cases of injury due to side airbags, side airbag injuries are rare and do not usually result in a serious injury. Moreover, a field study of children in side crashes showed no increase in side airbag injuries for children under the age of fifteen.
The latest models of cars are equipped with side-impact airbags. These bags can measure up to 8 feet long and 15 to 24 inches high, and deploy along the entire side glass. Some models have single-stage airbags, while others use dual-stage or segmented airbags.
Side airbags inflate if your vehicle is hit from the side
While side airbags are a great safety feature for a car, they aren’t always necessary. The federal government doesn’t mandate that a car have them. However, most automakers now include side airbags as standard equipment. They help reduce the impact of a side impact collision and prevent direct trauma to the body. These airbags are triggered by sensors in the vehicle that detect if the car is moving sideways.
Side airbags are supposed to deploy at lower speeds than front airbags. In fact, they’re designed to deploy at speeds of 8 to 16 mph, depending on whether the driver’s seat belt is fastened or not. That’s a lot lower than the speed at which a vehicle is hit from the side.
Impact sensor
An impact sensor is an integral part of a car’s air bag system. It is responsible for communicating rapid deceleration signals to the computer that controls the airbag. It is located behind the front fender near the front air intake. If your car is equipped with one, it will automatically deploy if it senses a crash at 10 miles per hour or faster.
There are three main types of airbag sensors. The first type is the impact sensor, which measures the acceleration and deceleration of an accident. Another type of airbag sensor is the acceleration sensor.
Chemical catalyst
Chemical catalysts for airbags in cars release nitrogen gas to inflate the bag in an accident. The chemical that causes this reaction is sodium azide (NaN3). This chemical is very reactive and can ignite when in contact with water. However, it can be quenched by adding retarding agents. After all, no one wants to be burned by a chemical after a vehicle collision. This is the reason why the airbags have retarding agents to quench the reaction.
Sodium azide, the chemical used to inflate car airbags, is as toxic as sodium cyanide and is not considered safe. This chemical is used to fill the airbag compartment and is a major environmental concern. Sodium azide looks like common table salt, but is toxic to animals and is known to be hazardous to the environment.
