The federal government has required front airbags in all cars, light trucks, and vans since 1999. They are designed to deploy in moderate to severe frontal crashes, to reduce the chance that a person’s upper body or head will strike the vehicle’s interior. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), front airbags have saved over 50,000 lives.
Airbags offer the most protection when the occupants are wearing seat belts but are designed to provide protection for all occupants. Newer airbags use an algorithm to decide whether to deploy the bag in a given crash, depending on whether people are using safety belts.
When do airbags typically deploy?
Frontal airbags are designed to deploy in “moderate to severe” frontal or near-frontal crashes, which are defined as crashes that are equivalent to hitting a solid, fixed barrier at 16 mph or higher.
Why might an airbag not deploy?
Whether or not an airbag deploys in a crash depends of a variety of factors including:
- Speed and impact of crash: Some crashes are insufficient to trigger the airbag. If a seat belt will adequately protect the person’s head or chest, the airbag will not inflate.
- Advanced frontal airbags: These will not inflate if it senses a child or small-stature person in the passenger seat.
- Airbag has not been replaced after previous collision: NHTSA recommends that airbags always be replaced after a deployment. If they were not replaced or not properly replaced, they may fail to deploy.
- Defective airbag: An airbag could be defective for a variety of reasons including malfunctioning crash sensors, damaged wiring, and defective modules.
What can I do if my airbag failed to deploy?
If you were injured in a car accident and your airbag failed to deploy, you may be able to pursue a claim against the other driver, or you may have a products liability claim.
In a products liability claim, the accident victim must prove:
- The airbag did not deploy, and it should have;
- The airbag did not deploy due to a defect; and
- The person’s injuries were caused or made worse by the airbag’s failure to deploy.
One of the largest and most complex consumer recalls in history involved airbags manufactured by a company called Takada. Approximately 67 million of these airbags have been recalled because they can explode when deployed, causing serious injury or even death.
Any airbag that fails to deploy in an injury-producing crash should be reported to NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation for investigation of possible system defects and potential recall.
If you were in a car accident and your airbags didn’t deploy properly (or at all), you may be able to seek legal action against the airbag manufacturer, the car manufacturer, or another party.
Contact Aversa & Linn for help in evaluating your options if your airbag did not properly deploy.
If you’ve ever wondered why Formula 1 cars don’t have airbags, click here.
