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What Are Airbags: Things To Do & Things Not To Do
We have seen airbags in cars for years now, assisting with safety along with other features such as seatbelts and ABS. We are going to take a detailed look at “Airbags” and tell you everything you need to know about them.
What Are Airbags?
The concept of an airbag is to have a soft surface for passengers or the driver to land against in case of a crash. Most times, airbags are placed in the steering wheel, dashboard, and side panels.
The bag itself typically is made of a thin layer of nylon fabric. The bags are first folded and placed into the safety points of the car. The bag inflates when sensors from around the car tell it to. The inflation takes place as a reaction of sodium azide (NaN3) with potassium nitrate (KNO3) to produce nitrogen gas.
The Nitrogen gas released into the nylon fabric airbag inflates it at a speed of 322km/h, which makes it break out of the panel it is stored under. After the bag inflates on impact, the Nitrogen gas escapes through the thin holes in the nylon bag and deflates so the passenger and driver can exit easily.
Things To Do
Wear Seatbelts
The airbags are a passive safety feature, which is only effective if the individual is wearing their seatbelt. The seatbelt holds the passenger or driver in place while the airbag is deployed in case of an accident. In case the seatbelt is not worn, the airbag might feel like a hit in itself, apart from the crash.
Proper Seating
The airbag requires the right amount of space to deploy in case of a crash. So, go ahead and slide that seat back until there is at least a 10-inch space between you and the dashboard(if you are a passenger) and the steering wheel (for driver). This 10-inch space allows for the airbag to deploy fully and maximise effectiveness.
Keep An Eye For Airbag Malfunction Indicator
When starting your car, look at the airbag light (most times found on the driver's display). If the light remains on for more than 10-15 seconds after starting your car, then there might be a problem. Service your airbags as soon as possible if this problem is seen.
Keep Your Hand At 3 and 9 o’Clock Position
The improper positioning of your hand can lead to your arms being thrown around in the cabin if the airbags were to deploy, in case of an accident. This could lead to injuries like broken hands or wrists. To prevent this from happening, maintain the hand positions at 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock, and avoid the centre of the steering wheel.
Things Not To Do
Do Not Let Children Sit On The Front Seat
Airbags have proven to be a great safety feature in a vehicle, but this only applies if you are over the age of 12 years old. The airbag is designed for the safety of an adult, this means that children under the age of 12 can as easily be injured or even killed by an airbag if they are in the front seat.
The airbag inflates at a speed of 322km/h and the force created by the airbag can throw the child off the seat, given their light weight, and the momentum carried by an airbag while it is being opened in case of an accident.
Do Not Lean On The Doors
The side airbags and curtain airbags deploy at high speeds and in case a passenger or driver is leaning on the door, this could lead to more damage than the benefits of having the airbags at all. So if you’ve got airbags, let them be useful.
Do Not Keep Legs On The Dashboard
Something we see often, especially on long journeys or tiring drives, is people keeping their legs on the dashboard. This is highly dangerous. In case of an accident, the airbag when deployed can potentially break the passenger's legs and destroy the effectiveness of the airbag. To prevent this from occurring, keep your feet placed on the foot well of the car and maintain the right seating position.
DriveSpark Thinks
Statistics have shown that airbags reduce the chances of dying in a car crash by around 30 per cent. But this only is effective if individuals follow the right rules and measures to make sure the airbags are as effective as they can be.
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