When Should Airbags Deploy?

Ever since the automobile was first manufactured, seatbelts have been thea main factor in car safety. Nowadays, all cars are equipped with airbags that inflate upon impact to save lives. Consequently, there have been cases where airbags malfunctioned. In 1998, new cars sold in the U.S. were required to have airbags installed on both the driver and passenger sides of the vehicle. However, many question tend to arise when discussing when airbags should deploy.

Facts behind when Airbags Should Deploy
When a vehicle accident occurs, the momentum of the vehicle's contents continues to move with the same speed the car was going. In turn, airbags are designed to inflate within a fraction of a second after a vehicle accident to slow the speed of passengers before they hit the steering wheel or dashboard. According to Autoinc.com, there are certain requirements that must be met immediately after a vehicle accident.

1. Frontal impact must be within a 60-degree window and occur within 30 degrees from the automobile's centerline.

2. The vehicle accident forces are equal to hitting an unmoving object at minimum speeds of 10-15 mph.

Since a vehicle accident happens in a span of approximately one-eighth of a second, the airbags must deploy between 15-20 milliseconds after impact. To provide a protective cushion, airbags inflate at speeds of up to 200 mph within around 30 milliseconds after the vehicle accident. Afterwards, the car's occupants contact the deployed airbag within approximately 45-50 milliseconds after an accident.

Throughout recent years, there have been cases of airbags that didn't inflate or deployed at odd times. According to Howstuffworks.com, there are concerns one should consider with airbags.

• Airbags can easily injure or kill children 12 years old or younger.
• Sitting too close to the steering wheel or dashboard can cause injury or death to vehicle occupants.
• Make a careful decision before deactivating your vehicle's airbags.

Rasansky Law Firm is dedicated to being an advocate for individuals who suffer accident injuries or death from faulty airbags. We have Dallas vehicle accident attorneys experienced in these types of cases.If you feel that an airbag malfunctioned due to design flaws, do not hesitate to fill out our free case evaluation form. Our team will gladly review the facts of your situation.