Airbags save lives. These rapidly-deploying safety measures reduce fatalities by an estimated 10% each year. Yet even successful airbag deployment can cause severe bruising or other injuries. Let’s take a look at some of the most serious airbag-related injuries and how they can be prevented.
Common Airbag injuries
It’s said that impacting with a fully-deployed front-seat airbag is the equivalent of crashing into a solid wall at 16 miles per hour. On the other hand, hitting an airbag in the process of inflating can potentially cause life-threatening injuries because the bag is expanding outward at 200 miles per hour, while your body is moving toward it.
That concentrated force can cause severe injuries including, but not limited to:
Widespread bruising
Concussions or brain damage.
Hearing Loss
Eye Damage
2nd Degree Burns
Lacerations
Internal bleeding
Fractures (especially near the face, neck, spine, chest, and wrist)
In some cases, deploying airbags may cause a leg or knee injury. However, these injuries are preventable when drivers take the proper precautions.
Preventing Airbag Injuries
Many of these airbag injuries are preventable when drivers and passengers are mindful of airbag safety. As we discussed previously, good posture and seat positioning are two of the best ways to minimize car crash injuries.
When you’re sitting in an upright position with your seat back a safe distance, your feet on the floor, and your seat belt fastened, the airbag has more time to inflate. Remember, more often than not, the danger of airbags is not from the device itself, but from the deployment.
You may also want to find out if your vehicle has been recalled for defective airbags. A defective airbag is especially dangerous as it may explode on deployment or fail to deploy altogether. Next time you take your car into the shop, don’t be afraid to ask about airbag safety.
If you suffered serious injuries after a car crash, we are here for you. If you’d like to schedule a free case consultation with an experienced Atlanta car accident attorney from Goldstein Hayes & Lina, LLC, please don’t hesitate to call (888) 425-6070 or send us an email.