Airbag Issues: Newer Airbags Not Necessarily Safer

Omaha, NEWhen it comes to airbag failure, the situation is a bit like the Goldilocks story: the airbag can deploy too early, too late or not at all. The purpose of airbags, to prevent accidental injuries, is for the safety devices to deploy at exactly the right time. Unfortunately, this does not always happen, putting people in the vehicle at risk of serious airbag injuries. Recent airbag lawsuits demonstrate what can happen when vehicles have defective airbags.

One such lawsuit resulted in an award of $6.5 million to the plaintiff, who suffered serious injuries to her neck when her airbag failed to deploy in a 2007 car crash. According to the World-Herald (10/19/13), Katherine Sprague suffered a dislocated vertebrae in her neck when another car collided with her 2004 Lexus ES 330. The lawsuit claimed that the airbag did not fully inflate, causing Sprague to either hit her head on the steering wheel, or causing it to snap back with more force than it would have if the airbag had properly deployed.

Sprague reportedly underwent rehabilitation to regain her ability to walk. Toyota Motor Corp. was found liable by a jury but is expected to appeal the decision.

Car companies have issued many recalls due to issues with airbag failure. One such recall was issued by Toyota, after an issue with spiders created a problem that could cause the car’s airbags to unnecessarily deploy. According to CNNMoney (10/17/13), spider webs reportedly blocked air-conditioning drainage tubes, causing water to drip onto an airbag control unit. That water could cause the unit to short-circuit, potentially resulting in the airbag deploying unnecessarily.

Vehicles involved in the recall are 2012 and 2013 Camry’s, Venza’s and Avalon’s, both the hybrid and regular versions of the cars. CNNMoney notes that there were three unnecessary airbag deployments linked to the recall.

With all the recalls on vehicles with airbags, it is natural to wonder if newer airbags are indeed safer than older ones. According to a report by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, newer airbags are not necessarily safer. The report, “How Have Changes in Front Airbag Designs Affected Frontal Crash Death Rates? An Update” (07/13), found that in some cases, older generation airbags might be safer.

Researchers found that certified as advanced and compliant (CAC - airbags that have sensors to determine how much they should inflate based on the severity of the crash and the weight of the vehicle’s occupants) airbags “were associated with slightly elevated nonsignificant frontal crash death rates for both drivers and right-front passengers, compared with sled-certified airbags with advanced features.” Furthermore, CAC airbags were associated with “a significant increase in belted driver death rate.”

The report further notes that as of January 1, 2009, driver and passenger frontal airbags saved the lives of more than 28,000 people, but were also linked to the deaths of 296 people who would likely otherwise have survived their accidents.