Air bag deployment

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Fri 25 Sep 2009 12:42
Air bag deployment - scouseford
I was involved in a bizarre accident a couple of weeks ago in which the vehicle ahead of me was halted by traffic congestion and inexplicably reversed at great speed into my car which was stationary. The errant driver is, I understand, 'trying it on' with her insurance company by saying that I drove into her. Fortunately an independent witness was on hand and has supported my version of events. Should further evidence be required by either insurance company would the fact that the airbags in my car failed to deploy, presumably because I was stationary, further support my case?

As an ancilliary question, at what speed in a head-on impact do air bags operate? Thanks in advance for any opinions.
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Fri 25 Sep 2009 12:50
Air bag deployment - Altea Ego
Airbags may deploy stationary or not. The fact they didnt means the impact was not severe enough, thats all.

Its not a matter of forward speed, an airbag will deploy according to various sensors in various places round the car. Depends on car of course.

For example, I got hit 90 degrees - from the side - right front. Forward speed not much.

Driver, Passenger, right front curtain, right rear curtain, right side seat airbags all deployed,
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Fri 25 Sep 2009 12:55
Air bag deployment - oldnotbold
I doubt it's speed related, but more about exceeding deceleration parameters, or acceleration if it's a side hit.
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Fri 25 Sep 2009 13:50
Air bag deployment - bell boy
if you take an airbag senser device to bits like i did the other month you find a ball bearing in a slide,so you would need to be driving forward and stopping into something solid for this ball to move,therefore your airbags not going off do kinda prove if the smash was bad enough that you were indeed stationary
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Fri 25 Sep 2009 13:59
Air bag deployment - Altea Ego
>need to be driving forward and stopping into something solid for this ball to move

Nope..

If you are stationary, and someone hits you backwards hard enough, the ball will still move forward making the airbag switch. Its an inertia switch and it works both ways. Going forward and you crash, the switch stops and ball moves forward. If someone suddenly sends you backwards the ball stays where it is and the switch moves backwards. The force for either to move the switch will be the same.

Think of it like this.

YOu hit the car in front, your head hits your steering wheel.
You are stationary and a car smashed head on into you - your head hits your steering wheel.


Edited by Altea Ego on 25/09/2009 at 14:01

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Fri 25 Sep 2009 14:09
Air bag deployment - bell boy
yes thinking about it you are indeed correct
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