Safety Belts/Airbags

A Brief History

During the last 30+ years safety has become a primary concern of automobile manufacturers. The first, primitive safety devices were manual lap seat belts, not unlike those in airplanes today. They were designed to prevent the occupant from being projected through the front windshield, or ejected from the vehicle. To that end they were valuable and successful. However, as time passed, auto manufacturers realized that while they were making a difference, they could do better. Soon the 3-point belt became the standard for front seat passengers.

Lap belts were still utilized in the rear seat positions however. In many serious collisions the lap belt would prevent one type of injury, say an ejection, while causing another. Often low back injuries such as herniated or ruptured lumbar disks resulted from the violent forward bending of a rear seat occupant in a frontal collision. The lower portion of the torso was restrained by the lap belt while the upper portion (above the abdomen) folded forward with significant force onto the thighs causing the injury. The result was an application of the front seat design to the rear seats and the 3-point belt became standard in rear seats as well.

Airbags Offer Additional Measure of Safety

Again, studies showed that while lives were being saved and injuries reduced more could be done to lessen the dangers. For example, even if a front seat occupant is properly restrained, it is possible that they could strike the vehicle's interior (dash or steering wheel) in a significant frontal collision. A mechanism was needed that would lessen such a blow, or absorb the shock of this secondary collision. Hence the primitive airbag design.

By this time car buyers were becoming cognizant of the benefits of these safety measures and now buyers, by their shopping choices were indicating that safety was a genuine concern. Soon dual (front) airbags and side impact airbags became options and standard in some models.

This evolution was a slow process. During the evolution inherent problems were recognized with the safety belt systems and airbags as well. It became apparent that an injury from an airbag that should not have deployed (as in a low speed collision) might be more severe than the injury that would have resulted if no airbag were available. Moreover, statistics were being collected demonstrating that while airbags save lives and lessen injury to many motorists and passengers, they, at times, cause serious injury and death.

As a result of this realization, the Federal Department of Transportation (FDOT), through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) enacted regulations requiring lesser powered airbags and "SMART AIRBAGS" that actually decide when and if to deploy, and at what force.

By now we have all learned that we should not place children in the front seat of vehicles, especially in rear facing child seats.

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