Takata Air Bags ....seriously?

[goofyone]

Were you wearing a seat belt? I always thought air bags were mainly for those people that don't use seat belts.
What are the stats on seat belt alone vs seat belt and air bag vs air bag alone?

This is a very common misconception. If you notice in vehicles air bags are labeled as a 'supplement restraint system or SRS' because they are intended to supplement, not replace, the use of seat belts. Air bags are engineered to be most effective while wearing seat belts. You can google search SRS air bags and find a lot of information however these are two good places to start:

http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/airbags/topicoverview
http://www.safercar.gov/Air Bags

 

[Stephen Workman]

Here in Colorado it is illegal to tamper with the air bag systems. It is also a loophole for insurance companies not to pay off, even if you have full coverage!

remind me never to visit Colorado

 

[goofyone]

I have been saved from serious injury or death by wearing a seat belt with lap and shoulder harness and air bags deploying while being involved in two separate serious accidents. Neither accident was even remotely my fault and both were caused by drunk drivers. In one accident I was run into from behind by a car going about 30 MPH while I was completely stopped at a traffic light. The other accident was at highway speed and I was rammed by the drunk driver who misjudged a lane change which caused my vehicle to run off the road and roll a number of times down an embankment.

I walked away from both accidents with some serious bruising caused by the seat belt and airbag but the fact that I was able to simply walk away from both of these very serious accidents is amazing. The seat belts and airbags held me in place enough to avoid slamming into the wheel and dash or being ejected from the vehicle.

 

[Stephen Workman]

2007 Honda Element. T-boned by a Dodge Ram pickup truck at 50 mph. I never saw him except for a white flash out of the corner of my left eye just before impact. 5 broken ribs, broken pelvis, punctured left lung. 4 days in intensive care, another 3 months in therapy. The doctor said were it not for the side curtain airbag I would have died. 2007 was the first year Honda put side curtain airbags in the Element. Lucky me. I'll take my chances with the Takata airbag over not having an airbag at all. Another tidbit...Paul Elio said in an accident all 3 airbags deploy regardless of impact point. I like that.

Mark, thank you for sharing. I'm happy you are still here with us. I may re-think my position on airbags....but I would prefer a U.S. manufacturer.

 

[Stephen Workman]

I have been saved from serious injury or death by wearing a seat belt with lap and shoulder harness and air bags deploying while being involved in two separate serious accidents. Neither accident was even remotely my fault and both were caused by drunk drivers. In one accident I was run into from behind by a car going about 30 MPH while I was completely stopped at a traffic light. The other accident was at highway speed and I was rammed by the drunk driver who misjudged a lane change which caused my vehicle to run off the road and roll a number of times down an embankment.

I walked away from both accidents with some serious bruising caused by the seat belt and airbag but the fact that I was able to simply walk away from both of these very serious accidents is amazing. The seat belts and airbags held me in place enough to avoid slamming into the wheel and dash or being ejected from the vehicle.

Goofyone, thanks for sharing this. I will take it to heart and remind myself that 'you're never too old to learn' ! To those who have shared stories/experiences vis-a-vis airbags...consider me 'schooled'

 

[RUCRAYZE]

Hiding? I was in an accident. I was driving my new '84 T-Bird and was driver-side t-boned at an intersection in rural Indiana by an older woman. No injuries - no airbags. Shoulder/lap belt did their job and I walked away. Now, can we move along to something else?

Goofyone, thanks for sharing this. I will take it to heart and remind myself that 'you're never too old to learn' ! To those who have shared stories/experiences vis-a-vis airbags...consider me 'schooled'

well done.

 

[Stephen Workman]

In the Elio You will have to worry about the air bag in front of you. If you'r so inclined. but you won't have to worry about a wind bag next to you.
MK

Best response I've had to my thread.

 

[Rickb]

Stephen, you are quick learner.

 

[Mike W]

Stephen, I don't think anyone here is replying in a mean spirited way, aggravated, yes, frustrated, yes but mostly trying to convince you that a perceived danger is really not much of one at all and by acting on that perceived danger you are putting your life at risk. I, for one, am relieved you are reconsidering your stance. I can see where you might have thought no airbags are better than ones that fill your face and chest with shrapnel! Please though, consider the odds, check out the info (the internet is going to be flooded with it I'm guessing) and join the rest of us knuckleheads to live another day to do something foolish that we enjoy doing! Thousands of surviving crash dummies can't be wrong! And then there are those mechanical human analogs that did pretty well too!

 

[Jay3wheel]

Let me pose a question, there are not many companies that can supply the required amount of air bags. Let's start from the position that to Takata is the lowest bidder to supply air bags, How much more will you be willing to add to the cost of your Elio to use a different supplier? Two hundred three five?

I might go an extra $200 as I am not fond of Takata.... How about you?