The Airbag

An airbag, also known as a Supplementary/Secondary Restraint System (SRS), an Air Cushion Restraint System (ACRS), or the Supplemental Inflatable Restraint (SIR) is a flexible membrane or envelope, inflatable to contain air or some other gas. Air bags are most commonly used for cushioning, in particular after very rapid inflation in the case of an automobile collision.

Benefits

Air bags supplement the safety belt by reducing the chance that the occupant's head and upper body will strike some part of the vehicle's interior. They also help reduce the risk of serious injury by distributing crash forces more evenly across the occupant's body.

"One recent study concluded that as many as 6,000 lives have been saved as a result of airbags."

However, the exact number of lives saved is almost impossible to calculate.



Costs

Airbags cost about $500 (USD) per vehicle from OEMs, who typically pay the supplier less than $100. If they are deployed in error or stolen, the registered vehicle owner is required to repurchase them. Since they are an integral part of the vehicle design, it is not possible to retrofit airbags to a vehicle that does not have them, with one exception. In the early 90's Breed Technologies of Lakeland Fl, offered a retro driver side system, the SRS-40. These were offered for 7 of the top selling vehicles of the time.

The SRS-40 was a supplemental restraint system. It used a smaller bag, similar to the ones Breed sold in Europe to Fiat and Alfa. Smaller bags were used in Europe, because of the almost 100% usage of seat belts. The smaller bag protected the head and face only.

The SRS-40 system used the same sensor as the early 90's Jeep Cherokee. When the vehicle exceeded a preset negative acceleration threshold for a specific length of time, the sensor released two firing pins, initiating the deployment. This simple all mechanical system eliminated the need for any electrical connections. Sensor calibration was changed from vehicle to vehicle to allow for the structural differences. The kits supplied by Breed included a new steering wheel.

Most manufacturers specify the replacement of undeployed airbags after, for example, 14 years (Volkswagen cars) to ensure their reliability in an accident. Or there may be a notice to inspect after 10 years (Honda cars). If the car is still on the road at this age, it would generally cost far more than the vehicle's market value to have the airbags replaced.

If airbags deploy and the cost of replacing them is more than the total value of the vehicle it is considered a total loss. However, if the vehicle's current worth is greater than the cost of replacing the airbags the vehicle can be saved and driven again.



Airbag Injuries and Fatalities

Airbags involve the extremely rapid deployment of a large cushion. While airbags can protect a person under the right circumstances, they can also injure or kill.

To protect occupants not wearing seat belts, US airbag designs trigger much more quickly than airbags designed in other countries. As seat belt use in the US climbed in the late 1980s and early 1990s, US auto manufactures were able to adjust their designs.

Newer airbags trigger at a lesser speed; nonetheless, passengers must remain at least 25 centimeters (10 in) from the bag to avoid injury from the bag in a crash.

Injuries such as abrasion of the skin, hearing damage (from the sound during deployment), head injuries, eye damage for spectacle wearers and breaking the nose, fingers, hands or arms can occur as the airbag deploys.

In 1990, the first automotive fatality attributed to an airbag was reported, with deaths peaking in 1997 at 53 in the United States. TRW produced the first gas-inflated airbag in 1994, with sensors and low-inflation-force bags becoming common soon afterwards. Dual-depth airbags appeared on passenger cars in 2005. By that time, deaths related to airbags had declined, with no adults deaths and 2 child deaths attributed to airbags that year. Injuries remain fairly common in accidents with an airbag deployment.

Smoking a pipe while driving should be avoided. If the airbag inflates and hits the pipe while it is in the mouth this may well be deadly, even if the impact is only moderate.

The increasing use of airbags has actually made rescue work for Firefighters, EMS and Police Officers more dangerous. Airbags can detonate long after the initial crash, injuring or even killing rescue workers who are inside the car. The addition of side impact airbags to the frame of the car has reduced the number of places that rescue workers can use hydraulic spreader-cutters ("the jaws of life") or other similar cutting tools to remove the car roof, or doors safely. Every first responder should be properly trained on how to safely deactivate airbags or be aware of the potential hazards. Removing the car battery may be a good precaution.