Harris County car accident attorney answers: Does my car have side impact airbag protection?

 

A:

Probably not. You can check if your car comes with side airbags here. The U.S. does not yet require side airbags on vehicles, although some automakers supply them voluntarily. If you have a European car such as an Audi, BMW, Mercedes or Volvo, you are more likely to possess side airbags in your vehicle than if you have a U.S. auto. Volvo pioneered the use of side airbags as standard safety equipment.

Statistics show that side airbags, just like front airbags, save lives in car accidents. They are particularly effective in reducing the cost of rollover crashes in terms of injuries and fatalities. Most rollover fatalities result from occupants being ejected from the vehicle. Side airbags keep more people inside their vehicles during rollovers, even when they're not wearing seatbelts. Advocates claim that if side airbags become standard on all vehicles they will save at least 1,000 lives per year in the U.S. alone.

Statistics and crash tests reviewed by this Harris County car accident attorney indicate that they are probably right. The U.S. NHTSA announced in January 2011 that it would soon begin phasing in requirements for side airbags for cars in the U.S. The phase-in starts with the 2013 model year, and requires side airbags on all cars as standard safety equipment by 2018.

 

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