Are Airbags Dangerous? How to Prevent Airbag Injuries

This is almost a trick question. Airbags clearly play a pivotal role in saving someone’s life during a car accident. However, this will only occur if the airbags deploy properly. Airbags can cause injuries such as eye injuries, dental injuries, skin burns, broken bones and, sadly, even death. In the State of Florida, airbags are sometimes deploying unnecessarily due to the extreme heat, humidity and moisture. Some airbag defects are: the airbag failing to deploy, the airbag deploying late, and the airbag being too sensitive and deploying on very low impact.

How to Prevent an Airbag Injury

While airbags can be dangerous, they can also save someone’s life. There are many ways for an individual to protect themselves from a risk of being injured by an airbag. First, as the sticker on the passenger side visor always says, children, under the age of 12, are much safer being placed in the back as opposed to sitting in the front seat. Second, never place an infant in the front seat. This means to definitely not have an infant sitting on someone’s lap or in their car seat. Clearly, it is much safer to place the infant in the back seat and have them properly strapped in. Third, as the driver, do not sit significantly close to the steering wheel. Make sure to move the seat back far enough from the steering wheel but close enough where you can clearly see the road in front of you as well as reach the pedals. Lastly, if the car you are driving has an adjustable steering wheel, make sure to tilt the steering wheel down toward the middle of your chest rather than point up toward your chin and face.

Airbags are a very important part of car safety. Every day, airbag manufacturers are creating and testing out safer airbags to have placed in cars. It is always important to pay attention to recall notices on airbags and, if your car does in fact have a recall, make sure to get the airbag replaced as soon as possible.

If you’ve been involved in a car accident in West Palm Beach, Stuart, Port St. Lucie or elsewhere in South Florida and sustained injuries from an airbag deployment, contact us today to protect your rights.