Based on numbers provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the deployment of air bags has saved millions of lives since their inception in 1981. With such an extremely high success number, airbags have become an integral part of car construction in all of today’s vehicles. But the simple fact is that if drivers start adhering carefully to a set of guidelines regarding airbags can help to save even more lives.
At Painters Collision Centers, we are all about vehicle safety here in Arizona, so we’re delighted to share this information with you.
One of the most common rules broken for airbag safety is when parents allow kids to sit in the front seat when they do not fully meet the prescribed height and weight requirements devised years ago by the airbag manufacturers. For airbags to be helpful as opposed to becoming injurious to passengers, they must be a minimum of 4’9″ and weigh at least 80 pounds, which means they will normally be around 12-14 years of age. Even with these outlines, the NHTSA still strongly suggests that all children ages 12 and under should ride solely in the back seat and without exception.
Airbags deploy at approximately 200 mph, in order for them to be 100% inflated in the 20 to 30 milliseconds, in order for a driver or passenger to be saved by the airbag prior to hitting the steering wheel or anything else inside the vehicle.
Following these rather basic safety tips can prevent injuries to both drivers and passengers when getting into an accident and causing airbags to deploy:
- Drivers must be at least 10-12 inches away from the steering wheel. If you are unable to be 10-12 inches away, tilt the steering wheel downward to give you that available space.
- Never place a child car seat in the front passenger position within the car. Child seats are not manufactured to accommodate airbags and the force of an airbag can seriously harm children.
- Wear your seat belt always and end up making it instinctive. Airbags provide cushion whenever an impact occurs and are designed to prevent drivers or passengers from being pushed backward into the seat, so that’s why all vehicle occupants need to always be wearing a seat belt.
- Passengers have to move their seats as far back as they possibly can. When there are rear seat passengers in the vehicle, it may have to be moved forward slightly, but keeping the passenger seat back creates ample time and space for an airbag to deploy completely.
About Painters Collision Centers
Today’s vehicles are essentially large computers on wheels, so you need a collision repair company with the right tools, equipment, and training to diagnose and fix these sophisticated machines at a high level. At Painters Collision Centers, with two locations in Chandler and Queen Creek, AZ, we stress quality, transparency, and complete accountability. People praise us for being thorough and providing over-the-top customer service on every repair. When you hire us at Painters Collision Centers, you tap into our 35 years of cumulative experience in the collision repair industry. Owners Jim and Kelly Huard aren’t just in it to win it. They’re in it to be the best!
Sources: NHTSA, AAA and CNN