5 Common Airbag Failures That Result in Injuries

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates airbags have saved well over 50,000 American lives since they were introduced in the 1970s. Sadly, airbag failure is also to blame for many injuries sustained by U.S. drivers each year.

Manufacturers strive to make airbags as safe as possible. However, these five common airbag failures continue to plague many people during car accidents, causing catastrophic injuries in some cases.

1. Delayed Deployment

The second your vehicle senses a car accident is taking place, its airbags should deploy. Many modern-day vehicles have both frontal and side airbags that all deploy at the same time to provide drivers and passengers with protection during a crash.

Even the slightest delay in the deployment of an airbag can lead to severe consequences. You might suffer a head injury, a neck injury, or another injury that will require extensive medical care if you’re ever in an accident that involves a defective airbag deployment.

2. No Deployment

A delayed airbag deployment can do damage during a car crash, but it’s a better form of airbag failure than no airbag deployment at all. If one or more airbags fail to inflate when you’re in an accident, you may sustain any number of injuries.

From a head or neck injury to internal injuries (lung, chest), you’ll leave yourself susceptible to serious injuries during a crash in which an airbag fails to deploy.

3. Sensor Malfunction

Airbags are equipped with sensors designed to let your vehicle know when to deploy them during a motor vehicle accident. A sensor malfunction can occur, resulting in an airbag not opening when it should.

Sensor malfunctions might also be to blame for airbags randomly deploying when they aren’t needed. Those who file product liability claims related to airbags often seek compensation for damages caused by malfunctioning airbag sensors.

4. Shrapnel

The NHTSA recently revealed that another American was killed by one of the dangerous Takata airbag inflators that the agency started recalling a decade ago. These inflators have killed 28 Americans and injured about 400 others.

When these airbags deploy, they sometimes inflate too quickly and send shrapnel shooting out in the direction of passengers. Yet, they’re still found in many older Honda, Nissan, Ford, GM, Mazda, and BMW models.

5. Defective Materials

Takata airbags aren’t the only airbags that contain defective materials that can lead to serious injuries when they deploy. The NHTSA has also targeted ARC airbags, which are found in many Ford, GM, Hyundai, Kia, and Toyota models.

According to the NHTSA, these airbags have caused at least two deaths and seven injuries in North America. The agency is actively seeking to recall them, although it hasn’t been successful yet. It’s just the latest example of an airbag failure that can cause devastating injuries in some car accidents.

Contact Us If an Airbag Failure Led to Your Injuries

Airbags are supposed to protect people, not put them in harm’s way, but all it takes is one airbag failure to injure and sometimes even kill a driver. While ideally, such malfunctions would never happen, we are ready to hold the appropriate party liable when they do.

If you were injured during a car crash involving an airbag failure, Geoff McDonald & Associates would like to speak with you about it. You may have legal options available that can cover medical costs, property damage repairs, and other expenses you’re dealing with in the aftermath of an accident.

Give us a call at 804-888-8888 or complete this brief form to schedule a free consultation with a trusted car accident attorney.