Blog

Every day, millions of individuals across the United States get into their cars and head out to work, run errands, or accomplish tasks that require the use of an automobile. While cars are an essential part of daily life, they also come with inherent risks—particularly when a crash occurs. A serious car accident can result in a range of injuries, from minor abrasions to more severe cases involving broken bones, concussions, or even traumatic brain injury.

To mitigate the risk of injury, automobile manufacturers are required by federal law to equip their vehicles with various safety features. One of the most widely recognized is the airbag. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an estimated 50,457 lives have been saved by airbags as of 2017. When vehicle occupants are driving a car equipped with airbags and wearing seatbelts, the risk of fatality in frontal crashes is reduced by 61%—compared to 50% for seatbelts alone and 34% for airbags alone.

It is clear that airbags play a crucial role in reducing the severity of personal injury in a car accident. However, the force of the airbag can sometimes lead to airbag-related injuries. In some high-speed crashes or severe cases, airbag deployment injuries may cause significant harm to a vehicle’s occupants. After reviewing how automobile airbags function, we will explore some of the most common airbag-related injuries and when it may be necessary to seek medical attention.

How Car Airbags Work

The intended function of airbags is to protect occupants inside the vehicle from severe personal injury in the event of a car crash. An airbag is an inflatable cushion that is built into the passenger vehicle. A sensor in the car measures the severity of impact of a crash the moment it begins. If the sensor detects an impact over a certain threshold, it will trigger an inflation device within the vehicle which can rapidly inflate the car’s airbags. Airbags can reach full inflation in a fraction of a second.

The two most common types of airbags equipped in motor vehicles today are front and side airbags. While many similarities exist between the functionality of these two types of airbags, there are some differences, as well. Since the 1999 model year, the United States federal government has mandated that passenger vehicle (cars, light trucks, vans, etc.) manufacturers install air bags in the driver and passenger position to protect against frontal impact.

Front Impact Crashes

In moderate or severe frontal crashes, front airbags will inflate in order to protect a person’s head and chest from making contact with the hard components of the vehicle’s interior, such as the steering wheel or windshield. Readers may not be aware that the threshold upon which a frontal airbag will deploy varies depending on whether or not the individual is wearing their seatbelt. Sensors in the seat belt receptacle work in communication with the vehicle’s crash sensor. For occupants not wearing their seatbelt, the airbags will typically deploy when the impact of a crash is similar to hitting a wall head-on at 10-12 miles per hour. For occupants who are wearing their seatbelt, however, airbags will deploy at a higher threshold, somewhere in the range of 16 miles per hour.

The driver's airbags deploy from within the steering wheel, while passenger-side airbags deploy from within the dashboard. On some models of car, supplemental knee airbags will deploy, as well. These airbags help distribute the force of impact in a side-impact in an attempt to reduce personal injury to the legs and hips while also helping to stabilize the body, which can reduce impact forces to the chest and abdomen, as well.

Side Impact Crashes

While front airbags are designed to protect occupants from a frontal crash, side airbags are designed to protect occupants if the vehicle is struck from the side. These airbags spread the load of impact across the person’s body, preventing significant force in any one particular area. In many side crash situations, the airbag is the only thing protecting the occupant’s head and neck from making contact with the vehicle. They can also protect against shattering glass from side windows.

As of the model year 2014, the majority of auto manufacturers include side airbags as standard protective equipment in vehicles. These protection devices can also deploy in rollover crashes.  Sensors in the vehicle measure sideways movement and will deploy if they detect an impending rollover.

Injuries Caused by Airbags

When considering how airbags function, it is not surprising that these safety devices can actually cause personal injury under certain circumstances. When airbags deploy, they inflate at an incredibly high speed. The force of an airbag during deployment can cause injury to vehicle occupants who may be sitting too close to the airbag or thrown forward just before impact. Concerns about these injuries were more prevalent when airbags first became commonplace in vehicles, as the deployment force of these “first-generation” airbags was significantly higher than those in modern cars. However, even today, the risk of serious injury remains, including:

• Lacerations – Cuts and scrapes from the airbag’s rapid deployment
• Whiplash – Sudden jerking motion of the neck, leading to pain and stiffness
• Chest injuries – Bruising or fractures due to the impact of the airbag
• Contusions – Severe bruising from the force of deployment
• Facial injuries – Fractures or abrasions from the airbag making direct contact with the face
• Head injuries – Concussions or traumatic brain injuries caused by the impact
• Internal injuries – Damage to organs or internal bleeding from the airbag’s force
• Neck injuries – Sprains, strains, or fractures resulting from sudden movement
• Soft tissue injuries – Damage to muscles, tendons, and ligaments due to impact

There have been unfortunate instances where airbag deployments have resulted in fatalities. According to estimates by the NHTSA, more than 290 deaths were caused by frontal airbag inflation in low-speed crashes between 1990 and 2008. More than 80% of victims in these crashes were either not wearing a seatbelt or were otherwise improperly restrained.

Almost 90% of these deaths occurred in vehicles manufactured before 1998, the year federal regulations required automakers to reduce the force of an airbag upon inflation. Since then, technological advancements allow airbags to adjust their deployment power based on sensors that detect:

• The size of the occupant
• Whether a child seat is present
• The severity of the crash

Despite these improvements, airbags can still cause serious injuries if they are defective or malfunction. Faulty or defective airbags may:

• Deploy without warning, leading to loss of vehicle control and increased accident risk
• Fail to deploy in a crash, increasing the likelihood of severe injuries such as internal bleeding, spine injuries, and soft tissue injuries
• Release shrapnel due to a manufacturing defect, causing facial injuries and lacerations

Ultimately, while airbags play a critical role in vehicle safety, they are not without risk. Understanding the types of injuries they can cause and how to reduce the risk of injury is essential for all drivers and passengers.

Airbag Safety Tips

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has created a number of airbag safety tips that car occupants should adhere to in order to reduce their risk of personal injury from airbag deployment.  These tips include:

• Ensure that drivers and front-seat passengers remain seated in the center of the seat, with backs upright against the seat and feet planted squarely on the floor.
• Avoid resting arms and legs against the section of the console where airbags deploy.
• Avoid purchasing any aftermarket dashboard or seat covers, which can block or misdirect an airbag from deploying properly.
• Drivers should ensure their chest is at least 10 inches away from the center of the steering wheel.
• Young children should always be seated in the back seat of the vehicle. If they must sit up front, the seat should be as far back as possible and the child should be securely buckled into their car seat with a seat belt.
• Children should not lean against the door area of the vehicle, where side airbags can deploy. This also prevents immediate impact in the event of a side collision.

Airbags and Personal Injury Law

When someone suffers a serious injury due to the impact caused by a deploying airbag, they often seek legal recourse to recover medical bills and other damages. If an airbag deployed as intended, the injured person should confirm that they were following proper safety precautions, as negligence—such as sitting too close to the airbag or failing to wear a seatbelt—can reduce their ability to recover compensation.

However, if an airbag manufacturer is responsible for a faulty airbag that deployed unexpectedly, the injured party may have grounds for legal action. In these cases, the victim should contact an experienced car accident attorney or injury lawyer to evaluate their case and discuss potential next steps.

Additionally, passengers who tamper with the airbag storage unit may inadvertently cause an unintended deployment, leading to a significant distraction for the driver and increasing the risk of a crash. In such cases, the negligent behavior of a passenger could be enough to justify pursuing litigation.

Ultimately, for a plaintiff to succeed in litigation, their car accident lawyer must prove that another party’s negligence directly contributed to the accident and resulting injuries. In cases involving defective airbags, the airbag manufacturer or insurance company may be held liable. If tampering was involved, responsibility may fall on the individual who acted irresponsibly around the airbag unit.

Getting Professional Legal Counsel

Although airbags are designed to protect a car’s occupants from personal injury in the event of an auto accident, there are cases in which these devices can do more harm than good. To be successful in litigation, the plaintiff and their legal team needs to be able to prove that someone else’s negligence was the primary cause of the events that lead to the airbag deployment and subsequent personal injury incurred. For years, the law firm of Palermo Law Group has been helping accident victims in Oak Brook and throughout Chicagoland as they navigate the legal process of personal injury claims. Our personal injury lawyer is here to help you and your loved ones. Contact Palermo Law Group today for a free consultation into your unique case.