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:

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.