To combat the current airbag problems, car manufacturers have been given until 2012 to create "advanced airbags." The manufacturers have also started creating supplemental restraint systems. The new airbags are supposed to be safe for women, children, and the standard male.The original airbags were developed based on the safety needs of the 5'8" tall male that weighs 180 pounds. As a result, airbags were, for the large part, tested only to ensure that the safety requirements for men were being met. They did not, for instance, take into account the detail that shorter people sit closer to the steering column than the 5'8" male. Also, there was no consideration given to children or others with medical reasons for being in danger due to the airbags.
As a result, there have been numerous injuries due to airbags and their deployment. Neck injuries, broken bones, and burns are all commonly incurred injuries. Deaths have been reported as well. Deaths are extremely common among children. In addition to being at the wrong angle for airbags which causes more serious head and neck injuries, they can also be smothered by the airbags which causes them to suffocate.
A study published recently points out that an airbag, for female drivers, creates a net protective effect only when the speed of the vehicle at the time of the crash is more than 38 miles per hour.
In the late 1950s, the automobile manufacturing companies met with a variety of government agencies to discuss which safety device they'd rather see in the car. The manufacturing companies, despite all they knew, voted for the seatbelt over the airbag. Until this point, cars were not required to have seatbelts. During testing, however, the manufacturers noticed that the crash test dummies did better in trials with seatbelts. They did even better, though, in tests done using a primitive form of the airbag. As the airbag would cost more, they companies went with the seatbelt.
Later on, the government again met with manufacturers and decided that enough was enough. They began requiring airbags to be installed in cars. Despite their purported benefits, airbags are still dangerous. For starters, they deploy from the steering column or dashboard with more than 1200 pounds of force. In addition, the speed of deployment is frequently more than 230 miles per hour. Anyone being hit with that much force and at that speed can be hurt.
For more information on the dangers of airbags, please visit http://www.habush.com.
Joseph Devine
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Joseph_Devine/136388
Joseph Devine
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Joseph_Devine/136388