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04-15-2003, 10:46 AM
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ok before i say anything i have to say RIP to my baby. (my car was trashed a day ago front end collision).Now myquestion whats the deal wiht air bags and seatbelts?
are air bags supposed to go off on front end collsions? and aren't seat belts supposed to lock up when jerked hard and fast? Lemme know from anyone who is in the know i need all the info that can be musterd
thanks for any help before hand cry
are air bags supposed to go off on front end collsions? and aren't seat belts supposed to lock up when jerked hard and fast? Lemme know from anyone who is in the know i need all the info that can be musterd
thanks for any help before hand cry
04-15-2003, 11:29 AM
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Vehicle: 2008 Toyota Prius 2006 Suzuki SV650S
First off, I have to ask. Is everyone okay?
Air bags do not always go off. Despite what you see in TV's and movies, airbags only go off under very specific conditions.
You might hit a concrete embankment at 25mph, and they will go off, but you can hit another car at 50 mph, and they won't go off? Why?
Conservation of inertia, and G-Forces. If you hit the concrete embankment at 25mph, you stop instantly, or nearly so. The car only crumples about a foot. You stop from 25 miles per hour in 1 linear foot. THAT WILL trigger the airbags.
If you hit a car at 50 mph, you will litterally push that other car, and continue rolling at a tangental angle. You car slows from 50mph to around 5-10 mph in about 5-10 linear feet (pushing the other car, and sending you going off in a new direction). Because the G-loads were not as severe...the air bags don't go off.
So, please list the details of how the accident happened, and we can see why the airbags didn't go off.
Air bags do not always go off. Despite what you see in TV's and movies, airbags only go off under very specific conditions.
You might hit a concrete embankment at 25mph, and they will go off, but you can hit another car at 50 mph, and they won't go off? Why?
Conservation of inertia, and G-Forces. If you hit the concrete embankment at 25mph, you stop instantly, or nearly so. The car only crumples about a foot. You stop from 25 miles per hour in 1 linear foot. THAT WILL trigger the airbags.
If you hit a car at 50 mph, you will litterally push that other car, and continue rolling at a tangental angle. You car slows from 50mph to around 5-10 mph in about 5-10 linear feet (pushing the other car, and sending you going off in a new direction). Because the G-loads were not as severe...the air bags don't go off.
So, please list the details of how the accident happened, and we can see why the airbags didn't go off.
04-15-2003, 11:33 AM
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To add to what Random said
(all) Hyundais, (as far as i know) do not have an airbag sensor in the front or back of the car, but rather a inertia sensor, located in the middle of the car, and depending on the factors (as Random mentioned) it will then determine if the bags go off or not.
I hope you're ok though dude!
(all) Hyundais, (as far as i know) do not have an airbag sensor in the front or back of the car, but rather a inertia sensor, located in the middle of the car, and depending on the factors (as Random mentioned) it will then determine if the bags go off or not.
I hope you're ok though dude!
04-15-2003, 05:18 PM
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while i was makeing a left hand turn at an intersection the other car hit me going around id say 35 to 40 mph. i was hit not quite dead center
on the right front head light. i was goin around 5 to 10 mph maybe a little more but i doubt it.when they hit me i flew forward hit the steering wheel then the seat belt finally locked and jerked me back no airbag if i hadn't caught the steering wheel i would have either kissed the glass or the wheel.
oh yeah ps i was the only one in the car and everyeone walked away from the other car. couldn't tell ya much more from the other side cuz they didn't speak english
on the right front head light. i was goin around 5 to 10 mph maybe a little more but i doubt it.when they hit me i flew forward hit the steering wheel then the seat belt finally locked and jerked me back no airbag if i hadn't caught the steering wheel i would have either kissed the glass or the wheel.
oh yeah ps i was the only one in the car and everyeone walked away from the other car. couldn't tell ya much more from the other side cuz they didn't speak english
04-15-2003, 11:53 PM
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I'm glad everyone is okay. The cars can be replaced. YOU can't be replaced.
The seat belt should tighten up to prevent you from hitting the steering wheel. However it is possible that it did tighten up, and what you experienced was seat belt strech. I think this is what happend to you, because you state "locked and jerked me back". If the seat belt didn't lock, you would have just hit the steering wheel. If it would have tensioned "late", it wouldn't have "jerked you back". They only tighen up, they don't retract durring an accident. So, I'm guessing that the belt did tension, but your forward momentum was allowed by seat belt strech, then the elastic nature of the belt is what "jerked" you back.
Since you were able to stop yourself from hitting the steering wheel with just the seat belt, the forces in the accident were not that severe, so that explains why the air bags did not deploy. They are designed only to deploy if the G-Forces in an accident are so severe, that you would hit the steering wheel or windshield even with the seatbelt.
The seat belt should tighten up to prevent you from hitting the steering wheel. However it is possible that it did tighten up, and what you experienced was seat belt strech. I think this is what happend to you, because you state "locked and jerked me back". If the seat belt didn't lock, you would have just hit the steering wheel. If it would have tensioned "late", it wouldn't have "jerked you back". They only tighen up, they don't retract durring an accident. So, I'm guessing that the belt did tension, but your forward momentum was allowed by seat belt strech, then the elastic nature of the belt is what "jerked" you back.
Since you were able to stop yourself from hitting the steering wheel with just the seat belt, the forces in the accident were not that severe, so that explains why the air bags did not deploy. They are designed only to deploy if the G-Forces in an accident are so severe, that you would hit the steering wheel or windshield even with the seatbelt.