Airbags
Airbags are not yet compulsory, but nowadays they are standard for both front seats in practically all new cars. This is because the Euro NCAP programme carries out a frontal crash test and a good result is not achieved without one.
Other airbag types are increasingly available, such as airbags up to shoulder height and side airbags at head height. These often still are voluntary choices.
The front airbag is only effective in head-on or near head-on collisions and it is absolutely no alternative for the seatbelt. The reason for this is that the airbag is only functional for a few (milli)seconds, whereas the seatbelt offers protection during the entire time span of the collision, and also prevents the occupant being ejected. The following text will only discuss airbags for front seats.
Effectiveness of the front airbag; little added value to seatbelt
The effectiveness data in the table below are from an American study (Evans, 1991).
|
The step… |
% less risk of severe injury |
|
From not-wearing to wearing a seatbelt |
41 |
|
From not-wearing to only the airbag |
17 |
|
From seatbelt to seatbelt + airbag |
8 |
These results are based on the American full-size airbag; the smaller European airbag is possibly somewhat less effective.
Airbags in cars and delivery vans in the Netherlands
Looking at the results of a Dutch survey on the presence of airbags, the low response must be taken into account (AVV, 2001). The survey was carried out within the framework of seatbelt research.
|
Response |
Questionnaire given to: |
|||
|
Car occupant |
Delivery van occupant |
|||
|
Driver |
Passenger |
Driver |
Passenger |
|
|
30% |
15% |
17% |
10% |
|
|
Airbag present on driver seat |
48% |
44% |
34% |
27% |
|
Airbag present on passenger seat |
29% |
25% |
11% |
10% |
|
Side-airbags present |
8% |
6% |
1% |
2% |
Results of a Dutch postal survey among occupants of cars and vans during seatbelt observations in 2000.
Airbag has no influence on seatbelt wearing
In the
Airbag not cost-effective
A rough calculation shows that the benefits of airbags in cars amount to about one-third of the costs (Sleet & Kallberg, 1992). This does not alter the fact that the airbag can prevent a lot of suffering, particularly in serious collisions.
Injury caused by the airbag
Not only does the airbag prevent severe injury, it can also cause injury (IIHS, 1993). The usually minor injuries among adults are caused by the airbag suddenly inflating especially if the occupants are not wearing a seatbelt and thus sit too far forwards.
However, it has been discovered that during the past few years many children have been killed by the airbag, maybe as many as 30 in the
Smart airbag
It would be better if the airbag only inflates if a passenger is present. It would be even better if the airbag is deactivated when a child seat facing backwards is placed in the front seat.
Both types of 'smart' airbags are already on sale.
References [SWOV report in Dutch has a summary in English]
Bekkum, P.H.G. van, Wagemakers, J. & Hiddinga, S.K. (2001). Gebruik van beveiligingsmiddelen in 2000. Onderzoek naar het gebruik van autogordels, hoofdsteunen en andere beveiligingsmiddelen in personenauto's en bestelauto's. Ministerie van Verkeer en Waterstaat, Directoraat-Generaal Rijkswaterstaat, Adviesdienst Verkeer en Vervoer (AVV); Uitvoering Grontmij;.
Evans, L. (1991). Traffic Safety and the Driver. Van
Huijskens, C.G. (1997). Kinderzitjes voor personenauto's, levensbelangrijke voorzieningen. TNO Wegtransportmiddelen, Rapport 97.OR.BV.007.0/CGH.
IIHS (1993). Airbags in perspective. Status report, Special issue 28, No. 11. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Polak, P.H. & Schoon, C.C. (1994). De effectiviteit van airbags in Nederland. R-94-16. SWOV, Leidschendam
Sleet, D. & Kallberg, V. (1992). Airbags and their potential in Finnish motor crashes. VTT Research Notes 1324.
Wells, J.K. & Williams, A.F. (1993). Seat belt use in air-bag-equipped cars: 1986-92 Models. In: Journal of Safety Research nr. 24, p.73-76.