Airbags are constantly in the news. Promotional ads describe how airbags helped save lives. Skeptics claim that airbags play a major role in automobile fatalities. Within the last few years, the airbag -- intended as an additional automobile safety feature -- has become a topic of much debate, despite manufacturers' claims that they can and do save lives. This article explains the history of the device and the positive and negative aspects of its use. General reference information on the device is also included to facilitate an informed decision about using airbags.

What is an "airbag" and how was it developed?

The airbag is "...an automotive vehicle passenger safety device consisting of a passive restraint in the form of a bag which is automatically inflated with gas to provide cushioned protection against the impact of a collision." (Source: McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 1994).

Most car manufacturers have equipped their automobiles with at least a driver-side airbag since 1994. Most newer cars have both driver-side and passenger-side airbags. Part of the controversy surrounding airbags is that people do not know how they work and the precautions to take when using them.

The airbag is a sensitive device triggered by sensors. Some systems include a knee bolster on the driver-side and a collapsible steering column. The airbag inflates if the force of any vehicle impact equals or exceeds the force of a car hitting a solid wall at 10 to 14 mph. The airbag sensors activate a propellant which undergoes a chemical change and produces nitrogen gas. This nitrogen gas actually inflates the airbag.

Are airbags really safe?

Like any safety device, an airbag must be used properly. Know its limitations and how to use it effectively to provide maximum protection. There have been some fatalities involving airbags. However, most research indicates that misuse of the device has contributed more to these accidents than any malfunction or defect in the design of the airbag.