News
from Your Tampa Auto Accident Lawyer: Air Bags and Auto
Accidents
It’s been about 10 years since air
bags have been required in all new cars sold in the United
States. Air bags—inflated, soft pillows that cushion
you in a car accident—are said to reduce the risk
of death in a front-end car crash by 30 percent. Air bags
are known as “supplemental restraints” because
they are not made to work alone; they are made to work in
conjunction with seatbelts. While air bags are credited
with saving lives and preventing injuries, there are also
some safety concerns about air bags. As a Tampa
auto accident lawyer, Clark and Martino, P.A., is aware
of cases in which air bags have saved lives and cases in
which air bags have caused injury. In the Tampa Bay area,
a personal injury attorney can be of assistance to you in
either of these car accident cases.
On the driver’s side, the air bag
is located in the steering wheel. On the passenger side,
an air bag is located in the dashboard or instrument panel.
The driver-side air bag is 2-3 times smaller than the passenger
air bag because the driver sits much closer to the steering
wheel. Air bags work by sensing deceleration in the automobile,
but air bags are not designed to deploy when the driver
brakes suddenly or when driving over bumps. Only the impact
of a front-end crash at about 10 miles per hour or more
is enough force to set off an air bag.
To inflate in time to protect you, air bags
come out of the steering wheel and instrument panel at a
speed of about 100 miles per hour. Consequently, coming
into contact with an airbag is able to cause injuries ranging
from abrasions, burns, and even death. Serious airbag injuries
are more likely when the driver or passengers are:
- Not
wearing a seatbelt
- Sitting
too close to the airbag (less than 10 inches away)
- Small
in stature, i.e., less than 12 years of age or small adults
To lessen the chance of airbag injuries,
it is recommended that drivers sit at least 10 inches away
from the steering wheel. Also, infants and children under
12 should be properly restrained in a rear seat. Some vehicle
owners who feel they are at risk for airbag injuries may
receive permission from permission from the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to have the airbags
deactivated by an auto shop.
Sadly,
neither airbags nor seatbelts are able to protect drivers
and passengers from serious or fatal injuries in a car accident.
To receive compensation for your auto accident injuries
such as medical bills, lost wages, and lost ability to work,
please call a Tampa auto accident
lawyer from Clark and Martino, P.A., for a free initial
consultation.
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