Well designed air bars can deploy at speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour. It must also inflate within 25 milliseconds. The concern is over the air bag striking the occupants prior or while they are in the process of full deployment. A typical injury occurring from an air bag deployment occurs when there is an interaction between the vehicle occupant and the air bag before it is fully deployed. There must be a harmony between the position of the passenger, the seat track, the air bag and the seat belt system to prevent the occupant from coming within the deployment zone. Modern pre-tensioned lap and shoulder seat belts are designed to prevent the occupant from entering into the area of air bag deployment. Serious injury and death can result if the timing is off.
Seat belts are not only part of the prevention, but they can be the cause of additional injury, if they allow the occupant to travel too far forward into the path of a deploying air bag. The pre-tensioning device within a seatbelt system is designed to pull up the slack and avoid the dangerous forward movement of the body into the path of the deploying air bag. Passengers, as well as drivers should be conscious not to adjust their seating too close to the airbag which is common in most cases where the user was severely injured or killed. To be contiued…
For further discussion regarding this topic or to discuss other products liability issues, please feel free to contact the Fort Lauderdale Injury Lawyer at info@www.schulaw.com or by calling 1-877-529-0444.
