How often do airbags fail?

A study by authors from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety analyzed data from FARS and NASS/CDS for calendar years 1998-2006 and model years 1994-2006.

The NHTSA reported that 284 airbag-related deaths had been recorded between 1990 and 2007, of which 180 were children. According to the study:

• FARS coded airbags as not deployed for 18% of front occupants
• NASS/CDS reported 9% non-deployment among front occupants killed

• Among crashes common to both databases, NASS/CDS indicated that 8% of the crashes involved airbag non-deployments

Airbags are designed to inflate when a car hits an object head-on and at speeds of more than 12mph. They rarely inflate accidentally or when you hit a bump, a pothole, or if you stop suddenly.

Although airbags are intended to protect drivers and passengers in the event of an accident, occasionally, however, they can deploy randomly, or they can fail to deploy in a car crash and cause severe injuries to all car occupants. The Takata cases involving the random deployment of airbags are a good example of defective airbags. Exploding Takata airbag inflators had a worldwide death toll of at least 24, as well as millions of recalled vehicles equipped with airbags with inflators supplied by Takata.

Defective airbags can cause severe injuries and should be dealt with in legal terms. If you suffered injuries because of an airbag failure you should consider hiring a personal injury lawyer who will help you receive fair compensation.

Why didn’t my airbag deploy?

If you, or a loved one, have been injured in an accident in which an airbag failed to deploy, you may have a personal injury case for your damages. Our Florida attorney is prepared to thoroughly investigate your case to determine why an airbag failed and hold the responsible party liable for your damages.

These are some of the common reasons airbags fail to deploy:

• The nature of the collision
• Airbag sensors were defective
• Defective electrical components
• Wiring is severed
• Defects in airbag modules

Airbags may be complex pieces of safety technology, but auto manufacturers have a legal responsibility to ensure they operate as they are intended and as consumers would expect. An airbag should deploy in any crash in which a driver or passenger would suffer injuries. Airbags are designed to prevent especially head, neck, and spine injuries.

What claims could I have if my airbag failed to deploy?

If your airbag failed to deploy or deploys when it should not in a moderate to severe crash, it may be due to a manufacturer defect. Defective airbag claims usually fall into one of the following product liability categories:

• Design defects. In some cases, an airbag has a defective design that causes it to malfunction.
• Manufacturing defect. Even when the design of the product is safe, the airbag may not be manufactured according to design specifications. This defect can be easier to prove because you can show that the manufacturer did not follow the design requirements.
• Marketing defects. When the airbag was not labeled correctly or you were not provided with proper warning labels or instructions, you could have a marketing defect claim.

Because product liability cases are quite complex, you will need the assistance of an experienced product liability attorney and experts to prove your claim. If the airbags in your car failed to deploy and you suffered injuries, call our office today to schedule a free case evaluation to learn about your legal options.