Airbags are critical safety devices, and sometimes they fail to go off. If they do not deploy, learning why can help determine if someone was injured.
Airbags are designed to prevent injuries by cushioning the driver and passengers in a collision. They are made from lightweight, durable materials and positioned in strategic places on the car, like the:
Sensors detect a significant collision force and trigger airbags, which inflate within milliseconds to separate occupants from the vehicle’s hard surfaces.
In the case of a collision, sensors pass data to the airbag control module. If the impact meets programmed thresholds, a small gas explosion expands the airbags at high speed. The success of this process is highly dependent upon the sensors and the vehicle’s electrical system working correctly.
Sensors are critical, and a defect can make them misread an accident’s severity or fail to send the proper deployment signal.
Sensor problems are often attributed to how the sensor was installed, damage, or software errors that prevent the system from recognizing a hard impact.
Wiring problems can prevent airbags from deploying, and so can electrical issues. Wear and tear, a vehicle’s age or water damage can disrupt a connection and cause malfunctions of the deployment system.
A vehicle’s airbag system may have been damaged in a previous accident and requires repairs such as sensor recalibration or part replacement. These steps must be carried out correctly. Otherwise, the system could fail in a subsequent collision. This risk underscores the need for professional repairs after an accident.
The airbag system is controlled by software that sets the timing to activate it. A glitch or defect in the software can result in the airbags not deploying or deploying incorrectly. Many auto manufacturers are stressing the role of software, as they have recalled vehicles for airbag software issues.
Not all collisions activate the thresholds. The force applied at specific angles usually triggers airbag deployment in severe front-end or side-impact crashes.
For instance, low-speed impacts, rear-end collisions, or even certain angles may not activate the airbag system since these are generally considered less likely to lead to serious injury.
Deployment is also influenced by driver and passenger weight, seat position, and seat belt use. Advanced systems deploy at varying strengths, and airbags adjust according to the occupant’s size. Sometimes, improper seating or not wearing a seatbelt can change the airbag’s effectiveness and prevent deployment.
Airbag failures are sometimes related to manufacturing errors, including the use of faulty materials or assembly errors. Airbag lawsuits were brought against auto manufacturers because airbags did not deploy or deployed unexpectedly, injuring people. In many of these cases, recalls and legal action against manufacturers resulted.
Liability must be determined in an airbag failure incident. Responsibility may fall on various parties, such as the repair shop, the auto manufacturer, or even the airbag’s original component manufacturer.
An accident law office can help victims navigate the complex legal landscape and ensure the proper party is held accountable for any safety device failure.
Airbag failures can cost you your life. If your airbag did not deploy in an accident, speak to an attorney about your legal options.
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