Side impact airbags are a specialized type of airbag that helps protect the head and chest in the event of a crash that affects the side of the vehicle. Although side impact airbags have been around since 1998, they only recently became widely available, and unlike frontal airbags, are not required by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Therefore, not all vehicles are equipped with this type of airbag. However, in late 2007, a new rule came into effect that required all vehicle manufacturers to upgrade their side-impact protection. Vehicle manufacturers were then given the freedom to decide what type of protection system with which to equip their vehicles.

Benefits

Side impact airbags help protect vehicle occupants in the event of a crash into the side of the vehicle. If a crash is severe, a side-impact airbag will inflate in a matter of seconds in order to protect the head and chest of the driver or passengers. According to NHTSA statistics:

• Almost 60 percent of fatality victims in side-impact crashes suffered from brain injuries, which might have been prevented with the protection of side airbags.



• Head protection side-impact airbags could save almost 1,000 lives each year and prevent more than 900 serious injuries.

Side-impact airbags can save lives in the event of a rollover accident. Unlike frontal airbags, side airbags may stay inflated for a few seconds to help prevent injuries during a rollover crash.

Risks

Despite all the added safety benefits of side airbags, they do include a set of risks. A set of recommended standards exists for all airbags, and vehicle manufacturers voluntarily report to the government if the airbags in their vehicles meet these recommendations. Before these recommendations were developed, many head and torso side airbags could inflict serious injury or even cause fatality to children who were seated to close to the airbag when it was deployed. Despite this risk, very few vehicles in the U.S. were equipped with these types of airbags. A 2008 study by the NHTSA looked at 1,500 accidents in which a side-impact airbag inflated, and found no serious injuries to children involved in the accidents due to the airbags.

Most injuries that occur as a result of airbags could have been prevented had the occupant been properly restrained with a seatbelt. Airbags are designed to provide added protection in the event of an accident, not replace a seatbelt. Without a seatbelt, a passenger can land on top of an airbag and suffocate or get trapped against a side of the vehicle as a result. Airbags are effective if passengers are properly buckled up, with children in the backseat who are strapped into appropriate car safety seats or booster seats.

For more information about airbag safety and car crashes, visit the website of the Waukesha car accident lawyers of Habush Habush & Rottier, S.C.