I'm 5 feet tall, adult woman. Are car air bags dangerous?

Question

I've heard a deployed air bag in an accident can decapitate people 5 feet tall and shorter. What are my risks?

Answer 1

They're dangerous to everyone.  A shotgun blast going off in your face (shooting a pillow instead of buckshot) is not safe, least of all when you're trying to manoeuver through an accident.

I don't think it can decapitate you (unless you're in a rear facing child safety seat).  The much greater risk is being injured.  If you're out of position, it absolutely will shatter wrists, break arms, break ribs, break your neck if you're leaning over!  It could put you in a wheelchair, but hey that's better than dying, so says the government.

There's also this problem that some Americans like to not wear seat belts.  That combines badly with air bags, because you're more likely to be out of position when the airbag goes off, and what's more, the airbag doesn't constrain your whole body, just your face and upper chest.  Do you really want your whole body stopped suddenly by your face and upper chest?  No, you need that seatbelt, adjusted properly for you.

In Europe, airbags hit a lot less hard, because a) the government assumes everyone wears seat belts (tough if they don't), and b) Europeans aren't as obese.

Answer 2

If that's true, I am screwed.

I am also 5'0.

Answer 3

no the min height is 4ft 9in

Answer 4

You just need to make sure you are about 10-12 inches away from the area of deployment, so if it's the steering wheel, make sure you are about 10-12 inches back.

I have never heard of an airbag decapitating anyone.

Answer 5

I went to high school with two girls who were shorter than 5 feet tall. They were speeding at 90+ down the school lane and hit a tree. The airbags deployed and the girls got broken ribs, black eyes, broken noses. They didn't die.

Answer 6

Set up your Driver's seat so that you are 10 - 12 inches away from the steering wheel. In new cars there are many models with two-stage air bags, which deploy very quickly at first and then slow down a bit so as not to do a lot of damage.

Older vehicles equipped with airbags have a one stage airbag and are deployed very fast.

I've heard where it may break your thumbs, or your nose, or your jaw, but not Kill you...........take the necessary precautions.

Answer 7

It is not the passengers height that put them in danger but in fact the distance in which they are from the dashboard.

That blast of energy can severely hurt or kill passengers and drivers who are too close to the air bag.

It is sometimes argued that shorter people find it easier to drive in a position close to the steering wheel hence why you have heard rumours that air bags are dangerous for short people.

In addition to drivers, an infant's head in a rear-facing safety seat is directly in front of the air bag as it breaks through the dashboard and instantly inflates. Even some forward facing child safety seats could possibly place the child within range of the air bag before it is fully inflated.

A common recommendation is to keep 10 inches between the centre of the air bag cover and your breastbone.

An average size child or adult who is correctly belted and obeying the above recommendation is not likely to come in contact with the air bag until it is fully inflated.

A fully inflated air bag spreads the forces of the crash across a wide area of the body. Even an unbelted adult will probably come in contact with the air bag at the chest area after the bag has at least partially inflated. For greatest protection, both the driver and front passengers should be buckled up and the seats moved back as far as practical to allow ample space for the air bag to expand.

If you cannot change your customary driving position and keep 10 inches between the centre of the steering wheel and your  breastbone you may wish to consider installing a on/off switch.

An on-off switch allows an air bag to be turned on and off. The on-off switch can be installed for the driver, passenger, or both. To limit misuse, a key must be used to operate the on-off switch. When the air bag is turned off, a light comes on. There is a message on or near the light saying "DRIVER AIR BAG OFF" or "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF." The air bag will remain off until the key is used to turn it back on.

Please note that expert advise must be sort when assessing your driving position and/or assessing the installation of a on/off switch as turning off your air bag will not benefit you or the other users of your vehicle. Instead, it will increase the risk that you and the other users will suffer a head, neck or chest injury by violently striking the steering wheel or dashboard in a moderate to severe crash.