The People’s Lawyer

External air bags could increase passenger safety by 40 percent

by | Dec 13, 2018 | Motor Vehicle Accidents

West Virginia drivers may be interested in learning how external airbags could make passengers safer. The idea of external airbags is not something new. In fact, technology is reaching the point where the concept is feasible. Testing has shown that external airbags may reduce the severity of passenger injuries by up to 40 percent.

The technology is designed to protect the sides of the vehicle. A split second before an automobile crash, the airbag will deploy and act like a large pillow, absorbing some of the collision force. One of the biggest challenges automobile manufacturers face is making the airbags deploy properly.

The vehicle would need to have the capability of determining when an accident was going to happen. Then, a split second before impact, it would need to fire the airbag. There are a number of vehicles that have predictive systems that engage certain safety features when an automobile accident seems imminent. For example, some safety features will tighten the seatbelt or will make adjustments to the suspension to protect the car’s occupants.

Of course, having an airbag deploy is a lot more dramatic than the above-mentioned safety features. No one wants to have their automobile ruined because their airbag deployed prematurely or when it was not needed. Developers believe that advances in radar, lidar, and ultrasonic technology will help cars do a better job of predicting accidents and deploying safety measures, such as airbags, appropriately.

When a person is a victim of an automobile accident, they may seek the assistance of a personal injury attorney. Legal counsel could hold the at-fault party accountable by filing a claim for damages on the victim’s behalf.