Airbags - Interesting Statistics

[Ruan]

I've just seen this on T'Internet, I know it's warrior-esque, but I was just thinking...

The DoT estimates there have been roughly 3.3 Million airbag deployments, they estimate there have been 6,377 lives saved by airbags...

However 175 people have been killed by airbags... Hmm...

FYI - That's 2.7% of people...

[Connor]

Would be interesting to know how the airbags killed them and if they were wearing their seatbelts etc. But from personal experience of writing off my first dturbo, where i went from 50ish to 0 within about 6ft and all i had was a bruise from the seat belt and a sore neck the next day and tbh even though the airbag wasnt there (aftermarket steering wheel ftw) it wasn't needed

[Ruan]

Bet you a LOT of the lives "Saved" will be through people NOT wearing seatbelts... The only time I see they're of a MASSIVE benefit is when you are NOT wearing a seatbelt.

[Dan!]

So basically - if you have airbags, dont bother with seatbelts?

[Ruan]

Blato potato!

That appears to be the thought process of Americans!

[Dan!]

Blato potato!

This is the first thing I thought of when I read that...



Such a child.

[Ruan]

Plato Potato ftw!

[darrenjlobb]

Nah, basically if your wearing a seatbelt, then sack of the airbag, I cant stand them / scare the shit out of me, but think modern MOT rules makes sacking them off a bit lame as you pretty much have to make out the car never had them at all / remove all traces...thats if the car ever even came without them anyway.

[C.A.R.]

Buckets, harnesses and no airbag = win.

Was the next step for me on the MX5, unfortunately I never got around to it

[ben87]

wonde fi airbags actually work on anything older than 5years...when i wrote my blaze off it clearly hit the marker points for which the airbag should of been deployed...and guess what it didnt deploy..i just had a dodgy ankle for a few weeks and sore neck

[Poodle]

Also got to bear in mind the DoT were the ones to push airbags in the first place, so will be making that figure look as favourable as possible...

What constitutes a life saved by an airbag? If, as already proposed, it's the fact they weren't wearing a seatbelt, then surely the best solution is to sack off airbags and let darwinism run it's course.

[C.A.R.]

wonde fi airbags actually work on anything older than 5years...when i wrote my blaze off it clearly hit the marker points for which the airbag should of been deployed...and guess what it didnt deploy..i just had a dodgy ankle for a few weeks and sore neck

Same here mate, when I wrote off the GTi6 in the armco. Hurt my ankle on the brake pedal bouncing back. Airbag never deployed!

[Kimmie]

So basically we've found out that the French airbags don't work......awesome :roll:

[MrsMidnight]

When Danny was in an accident in a 328i the air bags didn't deploy and that surprised me. What I don't like about most new cars is the fact that you can't turn of the passenger air bag like you can in the 306, so if you were to have a young child in the front seat, or a short bodied person, it's likely that if the air bag went off in an accident it would hit them in such a way it would be more likely to kill them... air bags have good points and bad point tbh and depends on the type of crash and as said, if your wearing a seatbelt, to if they are actually necessary or not.

[4WayDiablo]

^^^ IMO they have a lot more good points than bad

[Eeyore]

^^^ IMO they have a lot more good points than bad

exactly this. If people are silly enough not to wear a seatbelt then an airbag is just possibly another thing that could help you in event of a crash. Ermm... yeh... id like to think mine would deploy... but then again... i guess ill have to wait and hopefully not find out!

[Toms306]

I've been wandering around scrappys a lot lately (looking for a damn turbo!), and was surprised just how many airbags HAD gone off in the crashes. I was under the impression that 10 years+ and the airbags would be a bit hit and miss, but I dont remember seeing any crash damaged cars where the bags hadnt gone off........unless ofcourse they could have been full of body parts and not suitable for salvage. :?

I also hate the thought of the airbag whacking me in the face if I crash, and would rather they weren't there tbh, but I also see why they are there, so your neck doesnt snap as your seatbelt holds your body and your head flies forwards. The thing that I don't like about them is you really have to be in the 'right' place for them. I mean a seatbelt will hold you however you're sitting. But if you're leaning to one side or got your arm across the wheel while turning I'm sure they could make injuries worse....especially using the arm exapmle....as arm in your face when you crash wouldn't be ideal. hock:

[Ruan]

When you're 6'6 and your legs are pressed up against the steering wheel, they will do nothing, if I manage to move forwards enough to get my face anywhere NEAR the steering wheel, my back is history or my legs are history and I'm going to be a vegetable...

They're just not the safety device they're made out to be IMO... Everyone assumes them to be a soft cushion when you crash - they're not, they are a high explosive and it's a bag of VERY hot gas expanding VERY quickly... They just appear to be something cars have to have these days, even if they were proven to be ineffective or dangerous, they wouldn't go - they'd still be on cars because "It has to have Airbags"...

Until the time they're adjustable and will compensate for how far your head is away from the steering wheel - I think they're bit of a loose cannon... How can you POSSIBLY say that someone who's 5'4" and has their nose on the steering wheel has the same requirements as far as an airbag goes than someone who's 6'6 and has legs and arms like Mr. Tickle... It's rediculous IMO.

[Dum-Dum]

When you're 6'6 and your legs are pressed up against the steering wheel, they will do nothing, if I manage to move forwards enough to get my face anywhere NEAR the steering wheel, my back is history or my legs are history and I'm going to be a vegetable...

Yeah I was gonna say that, saw some crash tests and a 6ft+ human wont even touch most airbags if theyer sitting properly and wearing a seat belt.



As for 306 airbags they are supposed to be replaced every 10 years as the explosive deteriorates.

[Toms306]

I don't think they're there to stop you hitting the steering wheel though...I sit so far back I don't think that'd even be possible, they're more to push your head back into the headrest I thought, to stop whiplash??

But then, most people have incorrectly adjusted seats and headrests anyway tbh!!

[Eeyore]

[Toms306]

Good point Sam, I hadn't thought of that. But why set them off...when they could remove and sell them instead of ruining nice leather steering wheels and stuff lol? All they've gotta do is take the batteries out to stop you driving them away.....

[CJ_Derv]

Well i have first hand experience of no airbags on friday and still here as 'Clunk Click every trip' haha seatbelt wins all day i say

And that dust is just a pain in the arse

[Scott]

Good point Sam, I hadn't thought of that. But why set them off...when they could remove and sell them instead of ruining nice leather steering wheels and stuff lol? All they've gotta do is take the batteries out to stop you driving them away.....

I guess they don't want people setting them off while they're being removed and sending tools flying or having people injuring themselves. I understand that they could take them off and sell them but then you also have no guarantee that they do work or not, and I guess they wouldn't want any liability in any form if someone found out the hard way...

[Kezzieboy]

I don't reckon mine works anyway, and the airbag light has always been on, the car has been in a crash at some point in it's history, so I'm getting a steering wheel without an airbag lol.

[Daniel306]

The passenger airbag is only to be turned off when there is a rear facing child seat fitted

[Atterz]

Or is non existant if you have a Phase 1 or Rallye.

[Niall]

After setting one off, I don't want to be sitting in front of one! But clearly they do help under certain circumstances.
Oh and there is more chance of you getting killed if your not wearing your seatbelt. Instead of hitting your head, it just breaks your neck!

[Atterz]

If anyone on here doesnt wear a seatbelt, then you are a complete idiot. Just to add...

[Joe]

i think there a brilliant design, it pushes you back into your seat, it doesn't do this so well if your not wearing your seat belt as the pretentioner in the seat is activated in a crash pulling you tight in your seat, i always wear my seat belt after the tragic death of one my best mates last year, winds me up when i see people without a seatbelt on.