How Do Airbags Work?

Airbags significantly boost vehicle safety, adding extra protection during collisions. They team up with seat belts to reduce the risk of vehicle occupants' injuries, primarily focusing on frontal collisions. When a collision is detected, airbags swiftly deploy, acting as a cushion to absorb and distribute impact forces.

Manufacturers must adhere to strict safety and legal guidelines for airbags to work effectively. Complying with these rules ensures airbag systems function as intended in real-world situations. Failure to meet these standards can lead to severe consequences. This is why manufacturers issue recalls as a preventive measure against potential disasters.

In some instances, industry regulators could force manufacturers to initiate recalls to ensure the manufacturers comply and swiftly resolve the safety concerns. The safety regulations governing airbags cover various aspects. These include deployment speed, sensor accuracy, and occupant positioning. These standards guarantee airbag systems' reliability and effectiveness across different vehicle models.

Should you or a loved one be involved in a crash and suffer injuries because of an airbag failure, you have grounds to seek compensation.

Types of Airbags in a Car:

Various airbags are installed in cars to ensure safety. Nonetheless, not every vehicle has all the airbag types listed. The mix of these­ safety enhancers de­pends on the car's make, mode­l, and trim. Makers of vehicles ke­ep stepping up their safe­ty game. So, newer ve­rsions might bring more or better airbags for pe­ople's protection.

The most common airbags are:

1. Front Airbags

Front airbags have been a mandatory safety feature in vehicles. They are designed to deploy during frontal collisions characterized by rapid deceleration. The deployment is initiated by sensors that detect specific collision parameters, particularly speed, deceleration rate, and impact angle.

Front airbags exhibit a dynamic deployment process. They selectively respond to certain collision types. They are not universally triggered, except for low-speed impacts or rear-end collisions where deployment may not occur. Advanced airbag systems in modern vehicles often feature multiple deployment stages. This allows for customization based on collision severity, occupant size, and position.

Deployment thresholds for airbags vary depending on the vehicle and airbag system. Factors like speed at impact, deceleration rate, and crash characteristics influence these thresholds. For belted passengers, airbags are typically programmed to deploy in more severe crashes compared to unbelted passengers.

Seat belts are the primary restraint system influencing this strategy. The airbag system is calibrated to deploy at higher severity levels when occupants are properly restrained. However, modern cars solve this challenge by calibrating their sensors to deploy at low speeds if the passengers are unbelted.

Airbags are not universally deployed in all collision scenarios. An airbag deployment could be deemed unnecessary in lower-speed or less severe crashes where seat belts provide sufficient protection. The primary objective is to deploy airbags when they can significantly contribute to reducing the risk of injury.

Strategically positioned in vehicles, front airbags are located in the driver's steering wheel and the front-seat passenger's dashboard. They thus provide a protective cushioning effect during frontal collisions, specifically safeguarding the head and chest of the vehicle occupants.

2. Side and Roof Airbags

Side and roof airbags are crucial safety features in modern vehicles. They complement frontal airbags to enhance overall occupant protection. Specifically designed to address the risks associated with side impacts and rollover incidents, these specialized airbags are vital in minimizing injuries.

Placed within door panels or integrated into the sides of seats, side-impact airbags rapidly deploy to shield occupants during side collisions. This creates a protective barrier between the vehicle's interior and the door. Thus, it significantly reduces the potential for head and torso injuries for both front and rear-seat occupants.

On the other hand, curtain airbags, roof airbags, or side curtain airbags deploy from the roof area and extend to cover the side windows. They form a curtain-like shield in side impacts or rollovers. These airbags contribute to minimizing injury risks in various collision scenarios. They offer additional protection for occupants' heads in front and rear seats.

Deployment of side and roof airbags occurs within the first 10 to 20 milliseconds due to the limited space between the occupant and the side of the vehicle. Notably, deployment thresholds can vary. The deployment could occur at speeds as low as 8 mph for narrow object crashes, like poles and trees. They could also deploy at 18 mph for more widely distributed side impacts, like vehicle-to-vehicle crashes.

Most modern vehicles are equipped with advanced sensors. The sensors analyze the dynamics of side collisions or rollovers, including the rate of deceleration and impact angle, thus deploying with precision.

Similar to frontal airbags, deployment thresholds for side and roof airbags can differ based on the specific vehicle and airbag system. The primary objective remains consistent: to deploy these airbags when their activation significantly reduces the risk of injury.

3. Knee Airbags

Knee airbags, while not mandated by regulations, are an optional safety feature in numerous vehicles. These airbags serve as an additional safety measure, particularly in frontal collisions. They are positioned below the steering column. They deploy to provide cushioning and support to the driver's lower extremities, including the knees and lower legs, in the event of a crash.

Their inclusion is an elective safety feature. Some car manufacturers market these as part of their commitment to augmenting occupant protection beyond the baseline regulatory standards. While availability could vary, specific vehicle models offer knee airbags as part of advanced safety packages or specific trim levels.

How Do the Airbags Work?

Airbags function through impact sensors, inflation systems, and engineering principles.

• Sensor activation — Vehicles are equipped with impact sensors. These accelerometers are strategically placed to continuously monitor the car's acceleration and deceleration.
• Collision detection — In a collision, impact sensors detect a rapid deceleration, signaling a crash. The airbag system considers the severity and direction of the impact.
• Airbag Control Unit (ACU) — Information from impact sensors is sent to the Airbag Control Unit (ACU), an electronic control module. The ACU processes the data to determine if conditions warrant airbag deployment.
• Ignition of the inflation system — If the ACU decides on airbag deployment, it triggers it. This system uses a pyrotechnic device, like sodium azide, that rapidly combusts to generate nitrogen gas.
• Rapid inflation — The generated nitrogen gas rapidly inflates the airbag within milliseconds. The fully inflated airbag creates a cushion to absorb and distribute impact forces, reducing the risk of injury.
• Occupant protection — The fully deployed airbag acts as a cushion. Therefore, it protects occupants from hard interior surfaces like the steering wheel, dashboard, or windshield. This works in tandem with seat belts to create an integrated safety system.

Note: Airbags complement seat belts, not replace them. Seat belts are the primary restraint system, preventing occupants from colliding with the vehicle's interior or being ejected during a collision. Advanced airbag systems are sensitive to factors like occupant size, position, and seat belt usage, deploying with varying force levels to tailor protection to different scenarios.

When Do Airbags Pose a Danger to Vehicle Occupants?

Despite manufacturers integrating technology into airbag systems, absolute immunity to failure is not guaranteed. Technological advancements have significantly improved reliability.

However, no system is fail-safe, as evidenced in cases like United States v. Takata Corporation. This legal precedent emphasizes that unforeseen issues and failures can still arise despite progress in technology and safety measures.

Various factors contribute to potential failures or malfunctions in airbag systems, including:

1. Airbags Failing to Deploy

When an airbag fails to deploy in an accident, it poses a significant safety concern since airbags are crucial for protection during collisions. Several factors could contribute to this failure:

• Sensor malfunction — Airbags depend on sensors to detect impact and initiate deployment. Faulty, misaligned, or damaged sensors could fail to detect the collision accurately. This could result in airbag non-deployment.
• Electrical issues — The airbag system comprises intricate electrical components, including the Airbag Control Module (ACM). Electrical failures, like blown fuses, malfunctioning ACM, or wiring problems, can hinder the deployment signal from reaching the airbag.
• Defective components — Manufacturing defects in the airbag or other deployment system components could lead to failures. This includes flaws in the inflator mechanism responsible for rapidly inflating the airbag upon impact.
• Vehicle impact angle — Airbags are typically designed for specific collision types, especially frontal impacts. If the collision occurs at an unexpected angle, the airbag system cannot deploy as intended.
• Vehicle speed — Some airbag systems set deployment thresholds based on the vehicle's speed at impact. In low-speed collisions, the system could decide not to deploy the airbags, assuming the impact lacks the severity to warrant activation.

2. Underinflated Airbags

Underinflated airbags pose a substantial safety risk, undermining their capacity to offer optimal protection in vehicle collisions. When airbags are underinflated, various issues arise, impacting the overall effectiveness of the airbag system.

A critical consequence of underinflated airbags is the potential for delayed deployment. An underinflated airbag could not deploy as swiftly as intended. This diminishes its efficacy in providing timely protection to occupants during a collision. Additionally, incomplete inflation can occur, leading to inadequate cushioning and an increased risk of injuries to vehicle occupants.

Insufficient occupant restraint is another concern associated with underinflated airbags. These airbags could fail to properly restrain occupants. This could allow excessive movement during a collision. This heightened movement increases the risk of injuries, mainly if occupants come into contact with interior components or are not correctly positioned for airbag protection.

In high-speed collisions, underinflated airbags could struggle to deploy with sufficient force. This compromises their ability to counteract impacts effectively. The risk is further exacerbated in frontal collisions, the most common scenario for airbag deployment. The underinflated airbags could leave gaps, increasing the likelihood of a head, chest, or upper-body injury.

Temperature fluctuations, both hot and cold, can also impact the inflation properties of airbags. Underinflation could be more pronounced in extremely cold conditions.

3. Exploding Airbags

The concern over exploding airbags, notably in the context of the Takata airbag inflator recalls, has been a pivotal issue in the automotive industry. The core of the problem revolves around the ammonium nitrate propellant used in these inflators. Over time, they become susceptible to degradation because of exposure to high temperatures and humidity.

The explosive material employed in the igniter typically takes the form of a solid propellant. Unlike substances that detonate with destructive force, this propellant undergoes rapid combustion. It then generates gas to inflate the airbag swiftly. The primary goal is to deploy the airbag quickly and efficiently, ensuring adequate protection for vehicle occupants.

However, various factors can contribute to system malfunctions. In Takata's case, the propellant's degradation emerged as a critical issue. This degradation could result in over-aggressive deployment. It then causes inflator ruptures and the release of metal fragments into the vehicle cabin. These outcomes pose a grave safety risk to occupants.

4. Unexpected or Unnecessary Deployment

Vehicles may sometimes possess airbags characterized by heightened sensitivity, potentially resulting in unexpected deployment. This increased responsiveness could cause airbags to activate even in situations unrelated to collisions or events necessitating deployment. Various factors contribute to this phenomenon:

• Sensor sensitivity — Airbag systems use sensors to identify specific conditions, for example, rapid deceleration during a collision. Excessive sensitivity or improper calibration of these sensors can lead to the misinterpretation of non-collision events as triggers for deployment.
• Advanced deployment algorithms — Modern airbag systems often employ sophisticated algorithms to determine deployment criteria. If these algorithms are overly cautious or designed to respond to minor disturbances, they could contribute to unwarranted airbag activation.
• Environmental factors — Environmental conditions can include severe vibrations or electromagnetic interference. These can influence sensor readings. Excessive sensitivity to these factors could result in airbag deployment when not required.
• Software calibration issues — The calibration of the software governing the airbag system is pivotal in determining sensitivity levels. Errors or miscalibrations in the software could lead to unexpected airbag deployment.

Injuries Associated With Airbag Failure

If you are in an accident and the airbag does not deploy as expected, you could suffer various injuries. While airbags are designed to heighten safety during collisions, defects in design, deployment, or manufacturing may lead to unintended consequences for you. Here are some harm types linked to faulty airbags:

• Impact injuries — Sometimes airbags could deploy outward too strongly or tilt wrong. When this happens, you could sustain injuries. You could sustain wounds on your head, face, neck, or chest, especially if the airbag hits you too hard.
• Chemical injuries — Sometimes there could be a problem with the airbag or how it deploys. The chemicals used to inflate could leak. This could mean you sustain chemical burns on your skin or eyes.
• Inhalation injuries — The rapid inflation of an airbag can release dust and small particles. Inhaling these particles could lead to respiratory issues or irritate your respiratory system.
• Fractures and sprains — The forceful deployment of an airbag can lead to injuries like fractures or sprains. These injuries are likely to occur, particularly if you are close to the airbag.
• Facial injuries — You could sustain injuries to your face, including lacerations, bruises, or fractures. This is likely if the airbag deploys excessively or if the cover is defective.
• Hearing loss — The loud sound during airbag deployment can potentially cause hearing damage or loss.
• Traumatic brain injury — If an airbag is misplaced, it may not provide adequate protection. This increases the risk of severe brain injury in a collision.
• Eye Injury — A damaged airbag can cause eye injury. These injuries range from simple force or chemical burns to severe trauma.

Compensation You Can Pursue in a Faulty Airbag Case

If you have been injured due to a faulty airbag, you may have a variety of ways to seek compensation. Depending on the facts of your case, you may be eligible for the following compensation:

• Medical Expenses — Compensation can cover medical expenses. This includes hospitalization, surgery, medication, rehabilitation, and any ongoing treatment your injury requires.
• Lost wages — If your injury causes you to lose your job or be temporarily or permanently unable to work, you may be entitled to compensation to compensate for the wages you earned during that period.
• Pain and Suffering — Compensation is available for physical and emotional pain and suffering resulting from an airbag injury
• Property Damage — If the deployment of an airbag causes damage to your vehicle or other property, you can seek compensation for the cost of repairs or replacement.
• Wrongful Death Compensation — In catastrophic cases resulting from airbag injuries, surviving family members may seek wrongful death compensation. This includes funeral expenses, loss of financial support, and emotional distress.
• Punitive damages — Punitive damages could be awarded where the responsible party's conduct is considered negligent or malicious. These are intended to punish the offender and respect similar actions in the future.

Find a Personal Injury Attorney Near Me

Airbag fault issues present significant challenges. The skills of a personal injury attorney are required to navigate complex cases successfully. An experienced attorney is an expert in product liability and personal injury law. They know how to meet the specific legal criteria for airbag defects.

At The LA Personal Injury Law Firm, we are experienced in product liability cases. You need our experience to get fair compensation for your injuries and losses. Call us at 310-935-0089 for further assistance.