The danger of air bags and the Essay Example

bags has undoubtedly saved many lives, but it also comes with some unforeseen negative consequences. One issue is the limited time they have to react and inflate during a crash. To compensate for this, the air bag ejects from the in-dash location at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour. This poses a greater threat to shorter individuals sitting closer to the dashboard as it results in higher force upon impact compared to individuals of average size. Small females or children seated in the front are particularly at risk, leading to air bag-related fatalities. Addressing this problem is challenging.

Another concern with current airbag systems is determining when they should deploy. Deciding on the appropriate impact speed that necessitates air bag deployment is not an exact science. Malfunctions or premature deployments of air bag components further complicate matters. It's crucial to strike a delicate balance between setting the deployment threshold low enough to protect occupants and setting it high enough to avoid unnecessary deployments and injuries.

There are instances where even crashes at speeds as low as nine miles per hour have resulted in more injuries due to air bag deployment than if there had been no deployment at all.Despite the increase in the number of air bag equipped vehicles since 1977, the risk of unjustified air bag deployment remains at 8 percentGood progress has been made in this area, but there is still room for improvement (source: www.highwaysafety.org/safety_facts/airbags). Legislation prompted by public concern about automobile safety and air bag reform has been aligned with or suggested by the NHTSA. Despite being generally successful, the use of air bags remains a constant worry for drivers.

According to a 1996 report from the U.S. Department of Transportation, 72 percent of the public prefer vehicles with air bag protection, but 62 percent have safety concerns about them. The majority (58 percent) of these concerns are related to protecting children who face the highest risk of air bag-related deaths in America (source: Boyle;www.highwaysafety.org/safety_facts/airbags). When asked about the likelihood of a child being injured by an airbag, 54 percent responded that it is very likely, indicating significant concern among the public regarding their children's safety when airbags deploy. Both the national government and automobile manufacturers have invested significantly in addressing these concerns and identifying potential solutions to mitigate risks in vehicles equipped with airbags.Let's now explore each option separately, which includes deactivating airbags with an on/off switch, ensuring proper usage of seat belts and car seats, reducing the force of airbag deployment by depowering the system, and developing more advanced airbag systems.

The installation of an On/Off switch in new vehicles to disable air bag systems has generated heated debate and controversy in the news. Since the NHTSA mandated air bag restraint systems in new vehicles, public concern has grown as the number of deaths caused by air bag deployments continues to rise. Many Americans believe they should have the option to choose whether they want the protection of an air bag, particularly if their vehicle type lacks a back seat and children must ride in the front. While this feature is standard in vehicles without a back seat like trucks and sports cars, a permit is required to install it in vehicles with a back seat, highlighting the understanding of the associated risks

(www.highwaysafety.org/safety_facts/airbags/stats.html).

Manufacturers and government officials have been criticized for offering the option to install an on/off switch for airbags, citing cost and inconvenience. Despite challenges in obtaining permission, the NHTSA reports that 66,805 cases have been granted permission to install these switches in vehicles. It is important to note that choosing this option disables the airbag's ability to protect passengers during collisions, making it ineffective at saving lives over time. Instead, proper use of other passive restraints like seat belts and car seats is recommended. The challenge engineers faced during the design of airbags from the late 1970s to early 1980s was creating a system that could protect occupants who were not wearing seat belts. However, this actually complicates the task of saving lives because unbelted passengers are forcefully propelled towards deploying airbags, reducing their effectiveness at preventing injuries. To save passengers' lives, bags must be deployed faster and with more force; however, this can potentially harm smaller individuals such as females and children. This risk increases when passengers are in unconventional positions since it becomes harder to predict where the force needs to be directed. To address this problem, it is advised that passengers make use of available safety measures such as seat belts whenever possible.According to research, incorporating both a seat belt and shoulder strap can reduce the risk of experiencing severe head and neck injuries by as much as 81 percent (source: www.highwaysafety.org/safety_facts/airbags/stats.html).

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) emphasizes the importance of using child restraints in car seats or harnesses to ensure children's safety. Injuries related to air bags have resulted in the tragic deaths of 66 children, with approximately 77 percent

of these fatalities occurring due to improper restraint. The use of child restraint systems significantly reduces the number of deaths caused by air bag injuries. Another approach to enhancing safety is reducing the speed and force at which air bags deploy. However, disabling this feature could lead to delayed protection and potentially result in more lives lost. While it may decrease the risk from air bag injuries, it increases the risk in collisions due to a delayed reaction time for restraints. Therefore, this option does not solve but rather transfers the problem to a less manageable one. Most NHTSA officials and automobile manufacturers consider this approach as a last resort solution due to its limited effectiveness. Nonetheless, according to NHTSA's logical plan (Glover, Maurice), if there are no other feasible improvements available, focusing on enhancing air bag design becomes crucial. The NHTSA Reauthorization Act of 1998 mandates car manufacturers to install advanced and practical air bags in new vehiclesThe NHTSA has made efforts to achieve two main objectives: 1) prevent air bag deployment in risky situations for occupants and 2) create air bags that do not pose a significant risk of serious injury to out-of-position occupants (www.nhtsa.dot.gov/airbag/proposed/advbag.html). Designing an advanced air bag system involves placing sensors under passenger and driver seats to determine occupant positions and deploying the air bag with varying strength based on the occupant. According to new legislation by the NHTSA, advanced air bags should be implemented in 25 percent of new vehicles by 2001 and eventually all vehicles by 2006. These specialized air bags aim to provide better protection for small females and children who are at a higher risk of

air bag injuries. Unlike previous systems, these air bags undergo more rigorous testing with a greater emphasis on protecting properly restrained occupants. The proposed amendment also includes a section dedicated to studying and protecting out-of-position passengers, which was absent in earlier systems. This proposal offers automobile companies incentives, funding, and permission to explore new technologies for air bags. The presence of advanced air bag systems in vehicles, such as the 2000 Ford Taurus equipped with the Ford Advanced Restraint System (ARS), indicates advancements in air bag technology. This discussion focuses on evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of these advanced air bag systems in cars.
The mentioned system functions as a central unit that processes information from various sources to determine the speed and force at which the airbag deploys. Its aim is to minimize the risk faced by passengers during a collision. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends incorporating this system in all new vehicles by October 1, 2005. Tests have demonstrated that these airbags are equally or even more effective than current systems, leading to fewer injuries for vehicle occupants. According to Ford's research, there has been a 50% decrease in chest injuries and up to a 65% decrease in neck/head injuries among high-risk groups. Furthermore, Ford intends to include side impact bags in approximately 35-40% of these new systems for further risk reduction. However, there are also disadvantages associated with advanced air bag systems including economic concerns. As more money is invested into developing and producing these advanced systems for passenger cars, consumers face higher costs when purchasing these vehicles. Consumers bear the additional expenses of innovation in automobile advancements as production

costs rise due to the inclusion of more sophisticated parts and labor (Lypon, John). The complexity of Advanced Air Bag Systems technology increases the likelihood of malfunctions, with insufficient testing resulting from rushed production (Carr, R.W.). Despite historically low risks in today's world, they continue to be extensively discussed and addressed.

Despite advancements in technology, completely eliminating risk is an unattainable goal. The objective of new legislation and technological innovations is to minimize rather than eliminate risk, as it will always exist in various facets of life, particularly in the realm of automobiles.

Although a small number of automobile owners/drivers or passengers have been killed by air bags throughout history, the lives saved by these same air bag systems each year significantly outweigh this. It is beneficial for our progress to strive towards reducing risk rather than eliminating it. The purpose of advanced air bags is not to completely eradicate the risk from driving, as this is impossible. Instead, they aim to analyze and control the risks involved and minimize them as much as possible. The current system has shown impressive results, and the new systems aim to build upon the safety principles established by air bags and further reduce negative consequences. Therefore, advanced air bag systems are designed not to replace a flawed system but enhance a proven one, with high potential for success. Despite the inherent risk associated with air bags, if we evaluate their success and the potential success of new systems, we will find that implementing measures to limit their negative effects is worthwhile.The text includes various sources and links related to airbags and traffic safety organizations such as the National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Professional Engineering magazine, Automotive Industries magazine, and Automotive Engineering International magazine.

Complete Reference Notation: Glover, Maurice."Striking a Blow for Safety." Automotive-Engineer v.[Retrieved from original source: insert source here] 24 no7 July/August 1990 p.39-40
NHTSA Air Bag Main Page
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/airbag/proposed/advbag.html
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Safety Fact Page
http://www.highwaysafety.org/safety_facts/safety.html
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
St.Edmunds, Bury;Eisenstein, Paul Airbags learn some supplemental restraint
Professional Engineering v.12 issue 8 April 28, 1999 p.24-
Lindsay, Brooke 2000 Taurus Pioneers Ford 'Smart' Airbag System
Automotive Industries v.179 no 4 April 1999 p.26
Reed, Donald Child occupant protection a priority
Automotive Engineering International v.106 no 5 May 1999 p.105-106
Carr, R.W

Evaluation of occupant protection devices and restraint systems National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Springfield, VA Fitzpatrick, Michael U.

Vehicle integration and evaluation of advanced air bag restraint systems
United States Department of Transportation
Lypen, John
The smartest air bag yet?
Motor volume 192 issue 3 September 1999 p. 78-
Boyle Ph.D., John and Sharp M.A., Kevin
Schulman, Ronca ; Bucuvalas, Inc.
1996 Motor Vehicle Occupant Safety Survey Volume 2: Air Bags Report
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
U.S. Department of Transportation
United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Air Bags Safety: hearing before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
United States Senate, One Hundred Fifth Congress, first session, April 29, 1997