what injuries do airbags prevent -attorney

by Arielle Crist 7 min read

Seat belts and airbags both help prevent this type of injury by bracing your body against your seat and cushioning any possible impact with the steering wheel or the sides of your car. Here are some car safety facts to consider: Airbags. Airbags have been shown to prevent serious injuries or death.

Full Answer

What are the most common airbag injuries?

Rear-window curtain airbags are designed to protect people in back seats in rear-end crashes. Far-side airbags keep drivers and front-seat passengers from hitting each other in a crash. Inflatable safety belts are aimed at reducing rear-seat chest injuries. Latest news Knee airbags show little benefit

What types of injuries are caused by airbags?

May 02, 2022 · The speed and force of the airbag can cause eye injuries, burns, irritated skin, and open wounds when it inflates. How do I care for an airbag injury? Keep wounds covered with a clean, dry bandage as directed. You may be told to apply antibacterial ointment to your wound to prevent infection. You may need stitches.

What to know about airbag injuries?

May 11, 2022 · If you aren’t careful, it could cause certain injuries like: eye injuries facial fractures neck injuries abrasions and lacerations contusions internal bleeding concussions bruising whiplash rib fractures spine injuries sprained fingers and wrists burns asthma attacks or irritated lungs due to the chemicals released with the airbag

How can airbags save lives but also cause injuries?

Jul 12, 2021 · Neck and back injuries Airbags are designed to protect drivers’ and passengers’ heads during a collision and prevent traumatic brain injuries, which can be fatal. While airbags reduced fatal accidents by 40%, a collision still puts pressure on the neck and upper back, potentially injuring the spinal cord.

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Can you get injured by airbags?

Many body parts can be exposed to the airbag, leaving a variety of injuries possible during the process of deployment. While these are some of the most common injuries to occur due to airbags, others are possible.

Why are airbags important?

Just because your airbag deployed during an accident does not mean that you haven’t suffered some form of injury. It’s important to learn about the kinds of injuries that airbags can cause so that you know what to look for and when to visit a whiplash chiropractor for treatment.

How do airbags save lives?

Airbags undoubtedly save lives every day, as they help to lower the risk of hitting your head and body against hard surfaces, being ejected from the vehicle, or suffering severe injuries due to glass and debris.

How fast does an airbag deploy?

This typically occurs in a head-on or near head-on crash at a speed above 10 mph. Crashes that are severe enough can also trigger an igniter to produce a gas, typically nitrogen or argon, to fill the airbag and deploy. This process occurs in about 1/20th of a second.

Can an airbag cause a concussion?

Eye damage, including temporary or permanent blindness, is possible. Concussions may also occur if the impact is strong enough.

Can an airbag hurt your spine?

Your spine and cervical spine are also vulnerable to the impact of an airbag. While your body is prevented from being thrust forward like it might otherwise, damage to soft tissue can still cause you to suffer from whiplash or other similar car accident injuries as the soft tissue is damaged.

Can airbags cause burns?

Burns. The speed of an airbag deployment can cause surface abrasions or burns. The face and arms are most likely to suffer from this. Think about the fabric coming in contact with your skin, and suffering from something like rug burn, but as a result of this.

How to wear a lap belt while pregnant?

This is very important if you are pregnant. Never place a shoulder belt under your arm or behind your back. Sit at least 10 inches away from the steering wheel when you drive. Recline the seat or tilt the steering wheel down.

How far away from the steering wheel should you sit?

Sit at least 10 inches away from the steering wheel when you drive. Recline the seat or tilt the steering wheel down. Drive with your hands on each side of the steering wheel. Do not drive with your hands on top of the steering wheel.

How to treat swelling around eyes?

You may need stitches. Care for your stitches as directed. Use ice packs as directed to treat swelling around your eyes.

How to treat a burn wound?

Keep wounds covered with a clean, dry bandage as directed. You may be told to apply antibacterial ointment to your wound to prevent infection. You may need stitches. Care for your stitches as directed. Use ice packs as directed to treat swelling around your eyes. Use cool cloths to soothe red, irritated, or burned skin.

How old do you have to be to sit in the front seat?

Do not allow children younger than 13 years to sit in the front seat. Children who are 8 years or younger should ride in a properly fitting car seat or booster seat. Do not place a rear-facing infant seat in the front of a vehicle.

How old should a baby be to ride in a car seat?

Babies should ride in a rear-facing infant seat in the back of a vehicle until they are 1 year old and weigh 20 pounds. Do not place the lap belt over your stomach. The lap belt should fit snugly over your hips. This is very important if you are pregnant. Never place a shoulder belt under your arm or behind your back.

How to contact your healthcare provider?

When should I contact my healthcare provider? 1 You have a new cough or you are wheezing. 2 You have increased tears, redness, or pain in your eyes. 3 You hear ringing or buzzing, or you lose your hearing.

Can airbags cause injuries?

The momentum of your body hitting the airbag is enough to cause injuries, but they are likely to be less severe than if you didn’t have it to cushion the blow. Whilst many airbag injuries have been reported, whether it’s painful for you will depend on the severity and type of crash. Airbags can deploy even at low speeds, ...

What are the most common injuries caused by airbags?

The most common injuries caused by airbags are: 1 Burns to the arms and hands 2 Damage to internal organs 3 Concussion 4 Broken fingers, wrists and arms 5 Facial fractures 6 Abrasions to the upper body 7 Spine and neck injuries 8 Broken ribs 9 Eye injuries 10 Ear trauma

How effective are airbags?

Airbags are very effective at protecting you during a crash, especially when paired with a seatbelt. They reduce the effect of the extreme forces produced by a crash and protect the parts of your body most susceptible to injury. The head and neck are perhaps the most exposed parts of the body during an accident.

How do airbags work?

Airbags work to curtail the impact on these parts in particular by providing a cushion of air to impact, rather than the steering wheel of the car. An airbag being deployed in a car crash.

How strong are airbags?

How Strong is an Airbag? There are some extremely strong forces at work in order for an airbag to protect you. Airbags come out of your steering wheel or dashboard at 120-220mph with a pressure of around 5 psi. They’re made of nylon and polyester which is tough but flexible, and cushion your impact in a crash.

How much pressure does an airbag have?

Airbags come out of your steering wheel or dashboard at 120-220mph with a pressure of around 5 psi. They’re made of nylon and polyester which is tough but flexible, and cushion your impact in a crash. For it to deploy correctly, an airbag essentially needs to explode out of your steering wheel. You would not want to be any closer ...

What is an airbag made of?

They’re made of nylon and polyester which is tough but flexible, and cushion your impact in a crash. For it to deploy correctly, an airbag essentially needs to explode out of your steering wheel. You would not want to be any closer to it exploding than you are when sat in the seat of a car. You also wouldn’t want to have anything between you ...

What is knee airbag?

Knee airbags, which deploy from a car’s lower dashboard, are meant to distribute impact forces on an occupant’s legs in the case of an accident, thereby reducing leg injuries. Designed to control movement of the lower body, these airbags may also reduce impact forces on the abdomen and chest. IIHS looked at data from more than 400 frontal crash ...

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Understanding How Airbags Work

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In order to understand how airbags can be potentially harmful, it helps to know how they are meant to work in an ideal scenario. Airbags are made of a light fabric and then placed in various locations throughout the vehicle, particularly the steering wheel and behind dashboard panels on the front passenger side. Some cars will i…
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Common Injuries Caused by Airbags

  • Even when airbags work perfectly as designed, they come with the risk of harm. While the below are the most common, a wide variety of injuries are possible and may range in severity. Brain Injuries: Traumatic brain injury usually occurs in reaction to the head hitting a hard surface during an accident. A similar effect can occur when an airbag hits the head, leading to concussions or …
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Preventing Airbag Injuries

  • Like with any possible car accident injury, the best thing you can do to be safe is to wear a seatbelt properlyat any time you are in a vehicle. A seatbelt is designed to be worn across the chest and the lap, not tucked under an arm or adjusted in any other way. The driver’s seat should also be positioned at least 10 inches away from the airbag deployment area, in order to leave th…
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