Harris County Car Crash Attorney Answers the Question: Do Side Airbags Offer Equal Protection for All Car Occupants During a Wreck?

No. Current airbag designs offer differing levels of protection for different people based upon their height, size, weight and age. Automakers seem to be doing their best to account for variations in physical size. But current technologies don't yet produce airbags that provide equal protection for all people.

Torso airbags, for instance, deploy in a position that works well for the average adult male (or at least the average adult male crash test dummy). Their deployment provides little protection for small adult females or children, and may even injure them. Women 5 feet tall and 100 pounds in weight correspond to the "5th percentile" female crash test dummy. Many standard airbag designs do not provide adequate protection for female vehicle occupants of this size. Many teenage girls and young women fit this 5th percentile. So they don't always derive full protection from airbag deployment in a crash.

The auto industry recognizes that many senior adults tend to occupy cars in what automakers call "out of position" postures. And people of all ages suffering illness or injury also tend to occupy vehicles in "out of position" postures. These postures might place their heads, torsos and hips in different positions than those of the standard crash test dummies that undergo airbag tests. More automakers are trying to account for "out of position" postures in the designs of their airbags. But vehicle passengers sitting out of position might still receive less protection from airbag deployment than those occupying standard postures. Out of position occupants might be injured in an accident even with full airbag deployment.

Head curtain airbags don't always deploy to cover the entire side window. Even if they do, they may still provide little protection to children whose heads may not reach the airbags' coverage areas. Many airbag designs still focus on providing protection for someone of adult size. Even where airbags provide protection for someone of child size, worries remain that the danger of injuries from airbag deployment might sometimes outweigh the protection airbags provide.

Studies show that airbags protect vehicle occupants during car crashes. But as with so many other things in life, that protection is not yet perfect. You may still be injured in an accident even if you had the latest state-of-the-art airbag protection. And you'll need financial compensation from those who caused your collision to help cope with the costs of your medical treatment and expenses from the car accident.

Tony Denena and Chad Points are here to help you recover just compensation for your car accident losses. Our Harris County personal injury law firm has extensive experience in successfully helping injured victims make fair financial recoveries for their accidents. Our goal is to help you make a full financial recovery for your injuries so that you can find justice and closure after your traumatic accident. Call if you need help when you've been injured in an accident; we'll be there for you when you need us.

Call us at 877-307-9500 to speak with a Board Certified Houston Personal Injury Attorney about YOUR case today!