The airbags are a safety system that remains empty and inflates immediately when an impact or collision occurs. By quickly inflating, the airbags cushion the force with which the driver or occupants’ body moves and help minimize possible injuries with the help of the seat belt.
Airbags have been installed in vehicles for years. It is the element that has been developed and popularized the fastest in the car market. Its history begins in 1953 with the first experiments.
Still, it took almost 20 years, in 1971, for Mercedes-Benz to get the patent on the airbag, after having spent five years developing the technology and carrying out the corresponding tests. Two years later, General Motors introduced it as an option on some Chevrolet, and it was only until 1981 that they were first installed in the Mercedes S-Class W126 vehicle.
what are air bags?
The airbags are a passive safety system composed of several impact detectors. The nylon bags cushion the impact of the vehicle occupants against the side windows, the windshield, the instrument panel, and the steering wheel.
The operation of the airbag is, in principle, simple. The complexity appears in its precision and speed at the time of action. The bags are only a part of the safety system, and they fill up with nitrogen due to an ideally studied chemical reaction for their operation. The airbags are only activated in a collision as long as the acceleration is high.
If you are learning to drive, ask your instructor or the driving school for all the necessary information about activating the air bags.
how air bags work?
Its operation is based on a control unit, a computer system responsible for controlling sensors such as accelerometers, impact and pressure sensors, wheel speed, and seat occupancy. If the preset thresholds of the sensors are exceeded, the control unit sends the inflation ‘command’ that causes propellant gas to be generated for the inflation of the bags.
The release of nitrogen causes airbag inflation, so the inflated bag cushions the impact. The pressure of the occupant’s body against the nylon bag forces the gas inside to escape slowly.
Due to the impact, the head and torso of the occupants are thrown forward and braked by the bag. It causes the gas to escape through holes in the upper part of the bag very quickly, so the occupant has a vision as soon as possible and can be released once the airbag has fulfilled its function.
Therefore, it reduces the risk of injuries caused by glass fragments coming from the windshield, especially to the face and eyes. Lastly, head movement decreases, and along with it, the risk of neck injuries.
airbags save lives
Airbags have shown to be an element capable of saving 14% of deaths in drivers and 11% of damages in passengers. However, it would be best to consider that the airbag always works as a complement to the seat belts, not as a substitute for them. When the seatbelt is not fastened, the airbag can have negative consequences. For this reason, you should use the whole safety system in a car.
Remember that in our A1 driving school, you can learn everything you need to know to take care of both your car and your life and that of your loved ones.
For Online Driving Course Connecticut Please Contact A1 Driving School Connecticut!
Online Driving Course Connecticut Online Driving Course CT
