Automakers and federal regulators have found multiple causes for the inflators turning deadly. Among them: bad oversight on the manufacturing floor; the design of the car itself; and years of exposure to high heat and humidity in certain regions a number of the deaths have occurred in Texas and Florida.
Such heat and humidity can break down the propellant wafers, so that the ammonium nitrate propellant—a chemical than can be used in making bombs—burns too hot and too quickly, creating excess pressure in the metal housing that then explodes with deadly force.
What can you do to avoid the shrapnel? Larger tires should allow drivers to push their vehicles even harder. This is how Pirelli developed them. Audi has been exploring how V2X tech could warn both drivers and workers about collisions. Zero Motorcycles introduced a fancy new street bike today, as well as a more energy-dense battery pack. Here's how it all works.
Never put a rear-facing infant car seat in the front seat. It may be too close to the inflating airbag and its force, which can be transmitted through an infant seat. The rear seat is the safest place in the car for a child or an infant. Make sure they are secured in an infant-only or convertible child car seat while sitting in the rear seat.
Properly fasten your children in car safety seats or belt-positioning booster seats. Have the lap and shoulder belts corrected for their size. If a child must ride in the front, move the seat back as far as possible away from the airbag.
Be sure the child is restrained properly for his or her size. Keep in mind that your child may still be at risk of injuries from the airbag.
For example, airbags are recalled if they might explode when deployed. Learn more about auto recalls and what to do if your car is affected. According to the CDC , seatbelts are one of the most effective ways to save lives and reduce injuries in crashes for adults and older children. Seatbelts keep people in the car and in position so the airbag can do its job — cushion your impact. Frontal air bags have been standard equipment in all passenger cars since model year and in all SUVs, pickups and vans since model year SABs are being offered as standard or optional equipment on many new passenger vehicles.
Generally, when there is a moderate to severe crash, a signal is sent from the air bag system's electronic control unit to an inflator within the air bag module. Because air bags deploy very rapidly, serious or sometimes fatal injuries can occur if the driver or passenger is too close to — or comes in direct contact with — the air bag when it first begins to deploy.
Side-impact air bags inflate even more quickly since there is less space between the driver or passengers and the striking object, whether the interior of the vehicle, another vehicle, a tree, or a pole. Sitting as far back from the steering wheel or dashboard as possible and using seat belts help prevent drivers and passengers from being "too close" to a deploying frontal air bag.
This is why rear-facing car seats should not be placed in front of an active air bag, and children under 13 should be seated in the back seat. Air bags can only deploy once, so make sure you replace used air bags right away after a crash, only at an authorized repair center, and before you drive the vehicle again. Takata air bags, installed in tens of millions of U.
If your car or truck is included in this list of Takata air bag-affected vehicles , contact your dealer for the appropriate repair. You count on your air bag to protect you and others in your vehicle in the event of a crash. If your vehicle is equipped with a counterfeit air bag, there is cause for concern. Counterfeit air bags have been shown to consistently malfunction in ways that range from non-deployment to the expulsion of metal shrapnel during deployment.
NHTSA has identified certain vehicle makes and models that may have these air bags. We believe this issue affects less than 0. Consumers whose vehicles have been in a crash and who have replaced their air bags by a repair shop that is not part of a new car dealership within the past three years or who have purchased a replacement air bag online should contact the call center established by their auto manufacturer to have their vehicle inspected at their own expense and their air bag replaced if necessary.
The responsibility for replacing a counterfeit air bag will vary depending on the circumstances around the original installation of the part. If you are concerned and have an air bag that was replaced at a repair shop recommended by your insurance company, we recommend that you contact your insurance company.
You may also wish to contact your local Consumer Protection Agency or the appropriate State Office of the Attorney General to determine your rights under the law, and the Better Business Bureau or the Federal Trade Commission to file a complaint. There are few circumstances under which the risk of sitting in front of an active frontal air bag outweigh the safety benefits.
Authorization will be granted under the following four circumstances:. Therefore, children should not occupy the front seat when a passenger airbag is installed. There is currently a mandatory recall of certain Takata brand airbags. These are fitted to many different makes and models and are responsible for approximately 24 deaths and hundreds of injuries throughout the world.
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