Does the wreck have to happen on a certain side for the airbags to pop out on that side of the car?

Question

My mom was in a car accident recently. She has a 2005 Chrysler 300. I'm not sure how many but it does have more than 2 airbags. This accident totaled the front passenger side of the vehicle. None of the airbags popped out. I thought she would be able to sue because of the malfunction. This is not just to get paid my mother was seriously injured, and could have broke her neck from the impact. Actually these were the doctors words. She seems to be under the impression that an accident has to happen on the side of the car for the airbags to pop out on that side. That doesn't make since to me.

Answer 1

that is correct. if you hit the front, the front two will go. if you hit on the side, then only that side will go. You have to remember, that the sensors may not have been struck hard enough to be set off. if it was a glancing blow, then the computer will think it is a side swipe.

Answer 2

Airbag deployment is computer controlled. It's based on the angle of the impact, the violence of the crash, and whether or not the seat is occupied.

Some cars do have side airbags, usually in the front seatbacks and "curtain" airbags installed in the headliner along the sides of the passenger compartment.

Which airbag deploys depends upon the crash. Side airbags will deploy in most side impacts. Front airbags will NOT normally deploy in side impacts. Conversely, front airbags will deploy in frontal impacts if the collision violence is sufficient while the side airbags would not deploy in most frontal-only impacts.

The fact that the airbags did not deploy simply means that the accident was not severe enough to require their use. You can't look at the damage to the vehicle and reliably predict if the airbags would deploy.

Contrary to what some other posters have stated, it is NOT dependant upon where the sensors are located. The sensors themselves do not need to be "hit" to initiate an airbag deployment. Nor do they deploy automatically at a given speed -- the violence of the crash and the angle of the impact are key. And contrary to at least two others have said, both front airbags do NOT necessarily deploy together. Virtually all modern airbag systems disable the passenger airbag if the seat is not occupied, or if it is occupied by a low-weight object or passenger such as a briefcase, child, or infant carrier.

Airbags are a supplement to seatbelts. This point is driven home by their name: Supplemental Restraint System. The are intended to help protect vehicle occupants who are properly belted in. They are NOT a substitute for proper seatbelt use.

You don't say if your mother was belted in or not. Assuming that she was, her seatbelt provided adequate protection without needing airbag deployment as evidenced by the fact that she survived.

You also don't describe the details of the accident. If her car was struck from the side -- ahead of the passenger door -- it is entirely likely that no airbag would ever deploy regardless of how violent the crash was because no airbag can provide much protection in that case. A properly worn seatbelt would certainly be a life-saver in that type of accident.

Be thankful that your mother survived this ordeal and don't be so "lawsuit happy".

Answer 3

There are event recorders built into that car hire an attorney new auto savy, that can have the information downloaded. But if you think she was breaking the law speeding at the time before the accident you will have a hard time. And if she ignored a air bag light on issue with out repairing the car. They will see if that impact was hard enough to blow the bags and Sue Chrysler's Socks Off, That car is still in warranty go for it!

Answer 4

Both front airbags will deploy at the same time,as they are working off the same decellerometer (impact sensor).There is a threshold that has to be met for the bags to deploy though....normally straight on shot at 30mph or better.I know many people who have had glancing blows at that speed and they have not deployed.However,I also know of some high speed head ons that they never deployed.Those are usually lawsuit cases,because of faulty equipment not alerted to by the dash warning light.

Answer 5

It doesn't matter which side of the car gets hit. The airbags on both sides are programmed to pop out. Your mom has every right to sue the manufacturer, and should contact an attorney as soon as possible.

Answer 6

Are you sure there is no other way to stop it working. Most modern cars have a disconnect switch for the passenger side airbag for safety when using a child seat. They are not always in a prominent place. Check your owners manual.

Answer 7

It has to do with where the sensors are located in relation to the impact, the force necessary to trigger the sensors, and whether the sensors were malfunctioning.

It also depends on the individual circuitry and wiring of the vehicle, as they are designed to deploy certain airbags when hit from certain angles, at certain speeds, etc.

Answer 8

if it missed the sensors then they wont go off my wife was just in a four ca crash last week and no ones airbag went off in any of the four cars.it wasnt a light blow either my car was totaled and the 2004 camry has no trunk now

Answer 9

I agree w/ previous answers.
I think the air bags should deploy regardless of the side of the impact.
Your mom should sue manufacturers.

Answer 10

This does sound unusual. I would contact an attorney as well, make sure that they are reputable though and not the ones on cable at 2am. Hope your mom is doing better.