Are airbags safe for cars?

In America it is estimated that air bags have inflated in over one million crashes, saved over 1,700 lives as well as prevented more serious injuries (Air Bag Safety 1). Statistics from two American organizations that collect information on air bag safety, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, reported that for drivers who wear their seatbelts, airbags could improve the safety of crash survival by 21% (National Highway Transportation Safety Administration 1). During a pre-crash breaking, unrestrained humans may be thrown against the vehicle interior, in immediate proximity to an air bag. Sin

Newsweek Magazine in its October 20th, 1997, issue had an extensive article about auto safety and air bags. It discussed the damages of both using and not using air bags. The gist of this article is that no matter what occurs a driver can get injured in a car with or without a seat belt and with or without an air bag. The article goes on to explain the tragedy of two families who are now suing automakers for negligence. Yet the article is not long enough on the facts to help the reader fully understand the points involved (McGinn 40).

The Highway Safety Administration had been working on the rules since September 1998, when it proposed a range of tests meant to reduce injuries to vehicle occupants whether or not they are wearing seatbelts. The rules will replace steps taken in 1997 to reduce air bag impact, which was blamed in the deaths of children and small adults. "We feel confident in our decision," said Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater, who called the rules "one of the most comprehensive advancements to safety in decades." We want to preserve the life-saving effects of air bags, but we have been deeply concerned about the harm to some people (The Washington Post 2). Advancement air bags resulting from the new rules will add $100 or less to the cost of a new vehicle (The Los Angeles Times 3). The decision requires that 35 percent of new vehicles in the 2004 model year meet the 25-mph unbelted test standard by the year 2006-model year (The Washington Post 2). The rules also created other new tests, including a 25-mph crash in which 40 percent of a vehicle carrying a short adult dummy hit a rigid barrier. Also, a new group of test dummies was created to study crash impacts on people of different ages and sizes.

In moderate to severe frontal and frontal-angle collisions, even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or the instrument panel. Air bags supplement the protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually. Air bags are not designed to deploy in many types of collision, including rollovers, rear impacts and side impacts, where the air bag is not

Some topics in this essay:
Bag Safety, Safety Administration, Washington Post, Angeles Times, Magazine October, air bag, , air bags, Automobile Manufactures, Rodney Slater, Transportation Department, Motor Co, safety administration, national highway, national highway transportation, highway transportation, transportation safety, highway transportation safety, air bag safety, transportation safety administration, bag safety, instrument panel, safety administration 1, administration 1, washington post,