Theoretically, our cars should be designed to protect us during a crash. However, sometimes things can go wrong, and even our airbags – which were designed to keep us safe – can cause serious injury.
When they work properly, airbags undoubtedly save lives. Frontal airbags have been found to reduce driver fatalities by 29%. However, they do not always work. Airbags can fail to deploy or deploy too forcefully.
What do you need to know about defective airbags and what can go wrong? Let’s take a look:
Safety Benefits of Airbags
Decades of research and real‑world data demonstrate that airbags, when used in conjunction with lap‑and‑shoulder seat belts, dramatically lower the risk of fatal injuries in frontal collisions. By deploying in mere milliseconds, airbags provide a crucial supplemental cushion that prevents occupants’ heads and upper bodies from striking hard surfaces.
- Driver fatality reduction: Frontal airbags reduce driver deaths by 29 % in frontal crashes.
- Front‑seat passenger reduction: Frontal airbags reduce fatalities of front‑seat passengers (aged 13+) by 32 %.
- Seat belt alone vs. combined protection: Lap‑and‑shoulder belts alone cut the risk of death by 50 %, whereas combining them with a frontal airbag achieves a 61 % reduction—an additional 11 % benefit over belts alone.
Lives saved: Frontal airbags have been credited with saving over 50,000 lives in the U.S. between 1987 and 2017.
How Airbags Work & Deployment Issues
Airbag systems are engineered to deploy in milliseconds to help reduce the severity of injuries during a collision by providing a rapidly inflating cushion between vehicle occupants and hard interior surfaces. From the moment sensors register a crash through the split‑second chemical reaction that fills the bag with gas, every component must perform flawlessly to ensure timely inflation. Below is a concise breakdown of the key steps and potential failure points:
- Crash detection: Accelerometers and impact sensors continuously monitor vehicle deceleration and transmit a deployment signal to the airbag control unit (ACU) when preset thresholds are exceeded.
- Initiation: Upon receiving the signal, the ACU triggers a small pyrotechnic charge in the inflator module, which rapidly decomposes a solid propellant (such as sodium azide or guanidine nitrate).
- Gas generation: The exothermic reaction produces a large volume of inert gas—primarily nitrogen—that inflates the folded nylon or polyester airbag fabric.
- Inflation timing: The bag tears through its housing and fully inflates in approximately 20–40 milliseconds, positioning itself between the occupant and the vehicle interior.
- Pressure regulation: Integrated vents allow controlled venting of gas, so the airbag can absorb impact energy and then deflate smoothly as the occupant’s body continues forward.
- Potential issues: Wiring faults, sensor calibration drift, or component wear can cause the ACU to receive incorrect crash data, resulting in premature, delayed, or non‑deployment; excessively sensitive or damaged sensors may even trigger unintended inflation.
Common Airbag Defects
In general, there are three general types of airbag defects (1) failure of an airbag to deploy or (2) an airbag deploys too aggressively, or (3) an airbag deploys at the wrong time.
In the news media, recalls relating to airbags are widely publicized. More than 41 million vehicles in the US have been recalled because of defective airbags – just from one defect. The Takata-brand airbags have a defective part that has been found to explode, shooting sharp metal fragments at the passengers in the vehicle. While Takata is offering free replacements of these airbags, 16 people have been killed as a result of these defects, and hundreds more have incurred severe injuries.
Some airbags can have faulty wiring. In 2017, Fiat-Chrysler recalled 1.3 million vehicles because of faulty wiring. Within the wiring harness of the steering wheel, these airbags were improperly wired, which caused the airbags to deploy randomly.
Mazda’s recalled 60,000 vehicles relating to a short circuit in the airbag wiring, which means the airbag won’t deploy when it’s supposed to in the event of an accident.
In both of these cases, an airbag recall was determined to be necessary to protect the occupants of the affected vehicle. Why? When these defective airbags deploy, it can be deadly.
Airbags can still be defective even if they are not recalled.
- The sensor might deploy one airbag, but not all airbags necessary to protect a vehicle’s occupants during a crash.
- The airbag might deploy but do so too late to be effective. Even a fraction of a second late and the airbag could deploy too close to the occupant’s head.
Cars can be checked for airbag safety issues or other recalls with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration here. When airbags don’t deploy or they deploy at the wrong time, it can be the cause of life-threatening injuries.
Airbags Do Not Always Protect People in the Same Way
In a study conducted of all airbags -including “smart airbags” that are designed to compensate for a person’s weight- it was discovered that for people of small stature, airbags can cause injury. The study examined data from over 67,000 drivers and front-seat passengers in accidents.
Older women are particularly at risk for severe injury because many also have osteoporosis and other complications that can compound the injuries caused by the impact of a fast-deploying airbag. Why? Women tend to have thinner bones than men. Also, 80% of the 10 million Americans living with osteoporosis are women. For these women, an airbag can cause grave injuries.
Airbag-Related Injuries
Even under the best circumstances when airbags deploy as planned, they can still cause injuries. Airbags can harm a vehicle’s occupants in the following ways:
- The speed of an airbag deploying can cause abrasions or burns.
- The chemicals that release when an airbag deployed can irritate the lungs or airways.
- Airbags can cause severe injuries to the eyes.
When an airbag fails to deploy, that too can cause serious and life-threatening injuries. These injuries include the following:
- Head and neck injuries: When an airbag fails to deploy, the occupant can strike their head on the steering wheel, windows, or other hard interior structures in the vehicles. Airbags would protect those contacts if the airbags had deployed. Failure to deploy can cause head and neck injuries that include facial trauma, brain injuries, skull fractures, and cervical spine fractures.
- Torso injuries: Injuries to the chest and abdomen are common when an airbag fails to deploy. These can include rib fractures, heart valve and aortic injuries, cardiac rupture, abdominal and organ injuries, and injuries to the spine.
Putting this into perspective, let’s use a case example. A drunk driver crosses the centerline and hits your vehicle head-on and the driver airbag fails to deploy, but the unoccupied passenger frontal airbag deploys. It is possible under these circumstances that there is both a personal injury auto case as well as a product liability case. The drunk driver and his insurer would be responsible for injuries caused by the initial crash and a foot fracture, for example. However, the traumatic brain injury and facial fractures that would have been reduced or mitigated by the presence of an airbag had it deployed are the responsibility of the automobile manufacturer.
What Should You Do If You’ve Been Injured by an Airbag?
If you’ve been injured by an airbag, the first thing you need to do is get to safety and call 911. Of course, if you have been injured, your first priority should always be to seek medical attention. If you suspect problems with the way the airbags functioned in the collision, make sure your vehicle is preserved.
A ton of data can be gathered from your vehicle after a crash to determine what happened (and if something went wrong), which is why if you’ve been involved in a crash, it’s crucial to do your best to preserve your car and keep it in your possession for investigation. This includes all parts of the airbag and your car’s computer.
Then, contact us to help ascertain whether there may be a defect in the airbag system in your vehicle.
When to Contact an Airbag Defect Lawyer?
If you’ve been injured in an automobile accident, you should contact a lawyer to help you. The airbags in your vehicle are an automotive product, so if they were defective, you have the right to pursue an automotive product liability case. These kinds of cases are complicated and involve a great deal of investigation and legal experience handling these types of cases.
An experienced lawyer can help you determine what your next steps should be, and whether an automotive defect case is a right choice for you or if you were the victim of an injury caused by defective airbags. If you have been injured, you have medical bills to attend to and potential long-term injuries to contend with, and you should contact an airbag defect lawyer.
Why Choose Murphy & Prachthauser?
At Murphy & Prachthauser, we believe that your vehicle should be constructed to protect you during normal operation or daily use, and also in the event of a reasonably foreseeable crash. Even though the vehicle manufacturer cannot prevent the initial crash, manufacturers can design their vehicles to protect you in foreseeable crashes. Under Wisconsin law, vehicle manufacturers are responsible for “enhanced injuries” or injuries that were over and above the injuries that would have been sustained in the collision, but for the defect in the vehicle. Had the vehicle performed properly, the injuries sustained would have been reduced, mitigated, or eliminated altogether. We advocate for our client’s wellbeing and have represented many cases that involve airbag malfunction.
Murphy & Prachthauser will also thoroughly look for product defects, even if there is not a recall on your vehicle or its airbags. We work with clients who have been involved in crashes where there were problems with the airbag design, or because of the way the crash happened, the airbag did not deploy.
We are one of the few firms in Wisconsin who have the experience handling cases against auto manufacturers. We take our role very seriously and walk you through each step of the process to ensure your questions are always answered and your needs are always met.
If you’ve been injured in an auto accident, and you suspect that your airbags were defective or compounded your injuries, give us a call today and request a free case evaluation. We’re here to help you get your life back on track.
FAQs
1. Are airbags dangerous?
Airbags are designed to save lives by reducing the force of impact in a crash, but like any safety device they carry some risk. Properly functioning airbags paired with seat belts overwhelmingly reduce fatal and serious injuries. Rarely, deployment can cause abrasions, burns, or even fractures—especially if occupants are seated too close to the bag or unbelted.
2. What types of injuries can airbags cause?
- Facial abrasions and bruises from the fabric and vents
- Thermal or chemical burns from hot gases and propellant residues
- Eye and ear trauma if the bag deploys unexpectedly near the head
- Chest or rib fractures in very severe impacts or for smaller occupants
3. Who is most at risk from airbag deployment?
- Children and small-stature adults seated too close to the dashboard or steering wheel
- Unbelted occupants, since they may be out of optimal position when the bag inflates
- Pregnant women, if proper seating position and belt use are not maintained
4. How can I minimize airbag‐related risks?
- Always wear a lap‑and‑shoulder belt correctly
- Maintain at least 10 inches of distance between your chest and the steering wheel or dashboard
- Sit upright, heels on the floor, and adjust the seat as far back as practical
- Ensure children ride in the back seat in appropriate car seats or booster seats
5. If I am injured in a crash and the airbag makes my injuries worse, can I still recover?
If an airbag malfunctions and worsens the injury, the at-fault driver is still liable for the full extent of the harm—even the portion caused by the defective airbag. Similarly, if the injured person is transported by ambulance and the ambulance is involved in a subsequent crash, the original negligent driver remains responsible for those additional injuries. The same principle applies if the injured person receives negligent medical care for injuries sustained in the crash; any harm resulting from malpractice is still attributable to the original driver.
There are limited circumstances where a separate claim—such as one against an auto manufacturer for a defective airbag—might be appropriate. This typically arises when the injuries are severe and the available insurance coverage is not sufficient to fully compensate the victim. In those cases, pursuing a product liability claim may be warranted to ensure adequate recovery.
6. Can airbag defects make them more dangerous?
Yes. Sensor malfunctions, degraded wiring, or defective inflators (e.g., the Takata recall) can lead to late, early, or unintended deployments. Regularly check for open recalls on your vehicle’s airbags and have any issues addressed by a qualified technician.
7. Should I ever disable my airbags?
Disabling airbags is rarely recommended. It may be justified only in very specific circumstances—such as transporting someone in a rear-facing child seat in the front passenger seat when no back-seat option exists—but must be done following the vehicle manufacturer’s instructions and local regulations.
8. What should I do if my airbag deploys or malfunctions?
- Seek medical attention immediately for any injuries.
- Preserve the vehicle and deployed airbag assembly for inspection.
- Report the malfunction to your dealer and to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
- Consider consulting an experienced product‐liability attorney if you suspect a defect.