We often “blindly” trust things. Why? Do we find comfort in not questioning things; therefore we go on with our daily routine? Are we taught to trust certain things or rely on certain things because our parents taught us?
Think of all the “things” we blindly trust—just because. The list could be short for some and lengthy for others. For those in the auto industry, one topic that has been “blindly trusted” is that of the airbag. We have heard the controversy behind the Takata airbag recall. We have seen the crash test dummy commercials. We have read the statistics; either in favor or opposed.
What everyone should know about airbags
What we know is that the intent of the airbag is to quickly stop the forward motion of a driver/passenger to reduce injury or prevent death in a car accident. A new post from The Safe Driver states that airbags are everywhere in vehicles. That standard airbag doesn’t exist anymore as some vehicles have up to ten airbags!
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Although vehicles are being “stuffed” with more airbags, this doesn’t mean passengers are being met with a softer feeling. The force at which an airbag hits a person is estimated at around 200 MPH and anywhere between 1/25 and 1/30 of a second. This is determined when a person is sitting two to three inches from when the first airbag is deployed. It is no wonder that airbags can do more damage than good when a car accident occurs. The safety officials quoted in the article state that it is best for drivers to sit at least 10 inches from the steering wheel in order for the airbag to properly work and prevent greater injury in a car accident.
When can a kid sit in the front seat?
In addition, it’s important that no one below the age of 12 ever sit in the front seat of a vehicle. Because of their size, a child is more likely to be seriously injured or killed when an airbag deploys at 200mph – as compared to an average size adult. When passengers are utilizing their safety belt and in the correct seats, it can make all the difference in the world.
While positioning is important, drivers shouldn’t focus on what position they’re in if or when an airbag deploys. Instead, drivers should focus on sitting in a position that allows them to keep control of the vehicle, avoiding car accidents, so that the airbag doesn’t need to deploy.
Whether you blindly trust one or none – airbags are supposed to save lives. Drive carefully and make sure that your passengers are buckled at all times. Lastly, review your vehicles owner’s manual to know where every airbag is located.
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Kaine Law is a personal injury law firm representing injured accident victims in Georgia. With offices in Atlanta, Conyers, Lawrenceville and Stockbridge, Kaine Law’s personal injury attorneys specialize in representing injured motorcycle accident victims, injured car accident victims, injured boat accident victims, injured dog bite victims and injured pedestrian accident victims. Kaine Law represents their injured accident victim clients using a contingency fee agreement which provides that there are no legal fees unless we win.
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