Had a collision--no airbag deployment

DaveShepherd · 01-26-2006, 06:44 PM

So I was driving my 2005 red Prius to work Tuesday, at the speed limit in the center lane of a 6-lane (3 in each direction) road. Suddenly a car from the left lane abruptly changed lanes right in front of me.

The front left corner of my Prius smashed into his front right fender; I must've been doing 35-40 MPH. My car was knocked off into the right-most lane (and I was very lucky not to have been smashed by a driver in that lane, indeed). I think the damage is reparable--I had the car towed to a local shop that my dealer claims knows how to work on Prii.

I was, of course, wearing my seatbelt. Nonetheless, my head bumped pretty hard into the plastic door pillar of the driver's side door. You know, the plastic case that contains the side curtain airbags? The airbags that didn't pop out?

Should I have expected more protection from that airbag system? The impact was pretty much directly on the front left corner, just about 45 degrees off-axis from the front and the side.

I'm all right, I think. Went to the doctor yesterday and had my bump looked at. She said I was "neurologically intact." But I'm rather upset about the lack of airbag deployment.

And, of course, I'm pretty sick about my little Prius, and I hope they can fix it up.

Dave

San_Carlos_Jeff · 01-26-2006, 06:53 PM

Seems to me that if you bumped your head pretty hard the airbag should have deployed. Most of the time when I've heard about people claiming their airbags didn't work it turns out that their body parts didn't bump into anything, and the bags were working correctly.

Bummer about the car, glad to hear you're ok. Cars can be fixed, brains not as easily.

jeneric · 01-26-2006, 07:24 PM

I think the airbag is a pretty violent thing. I think I'd rather bump my head "pretty hard" than risk the airbag ripping my head off like you see in all those warning pictures.

naterprius · 01-26-2006, 07:38 PM

Airbags are risky when they deploy. The system balances that risk from deployment versus the risk of injury from the crash. It sounds like you are uninjured. You were hurt, but not injured. (See the movie "The Program" for the definition of "hurt" vs "injured.")

Looks like the computer made the right decision.

Nate

jbarnhart · 01-26-2006, 08:23 PM

Also, when the airbag deploys it often does thousands of dollars of damage to the interior. It is truly a "last ditch" effort to save the lives of the occupants. Doesn't sound to me like it was needed in this case.

**efusco** · 01-26-2006, 09:20 PM

That kind of collision is clearly not one that would cause airbag deployment...and you should be glad for the reasons given above. The force of an airbag is enough to kill a small adult or a child when it deploys. Bumping your head "pretty hard" in an oblique collision is clear evidence that there was not nearly enough force to cause the air bags to trigger.

PS. Sorry about the accident, hope your car get's fixed back good as new.

**TonyPSchaefer** · 01-26-2006, 09:48 PM

Yeah, sorry to hear about your situation. I had the exact same thing happen to me except in my case it was a semi tractor trailer. No joke! I'm driving along and there there's a 5-foot tire inches from my driver's window literaly pushing me sideways. Killed me instantly. I got better.

If I'm correct - and I think I'm close - the airbags deploy when the vehicle is hit square (roughly) from the side or the front. Someone posted a long time ago that two of the three sensors in the front must detect an impact to trigger a deployment. I can imagine that there's a similar situation on the side.

Again, I'm sorry to hear about your accident. Make sure the schmuck in the other car pays for it.

DaveShepherd · 01-27-2006, 05:30 AM

Thanks for the responses. Yeah, I figured that the fact that it was an oblique hit, at not a very high speed, probably explained it.

The other driver's insurance, State Farm, is paying for everything, including the rental Neon I have for the duration of the repair. Right after the wreck, the only vehicle the car rental guys had was a Dodge Ram 4X4 pickup. Yecchhh! Got that changed right away!

Dave

sms92 · 01-27-2006, 01:19 PM

Evan and others,
When you say the force of the airbag is enough to "KILL" a small adult do you mean that literally? And would 5'4 and 120 lbs qualify as a small adult? I have been absolutely obsessed with getting side airbags for safety, however, I thought there was something in the car that sensed your weight and adjusted deployment accordingly (maybe that is honda??). Anyway, if anyone has any insight please share, I don't want to pay for side airbags only to end up crushed by them!

Sorry to hear about your accident Dave.

SomervillePrius · 01-27-2006, 01:24 PM

sms92:

Evan's coments are a bit strong, air bags are safe and very helpful as long as you wear a seat belt. If you don't then the air bag might actually harm more then help (you being flung forward, and not slowed by the seat belt, meeting an exploding airbag). But using seatbelts the airbag help grown-up. Newer airbags also explode slower (and at different rates as neccesary) to reduce the likleyhood of injury (the priis has this).

I also think all of this is true esp. for front airbags. I think the side air bags are less dangerous and are more to stop your head or arms from ending up outside the car.

So, if I where you I would def. go for the airbargs (it was a selling point for me).

01-26-2006, 06:44 PM	#1
DaveShepherd Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Washington, DC (VA Suburbs) Posts: 135 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: III Package: No Package Thanks: 27 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts Friends: 0	So I was driving my 2005 red Prius to work Tuesday, at the speed limit in the center lane of a 6-lane (3 in each direction) road. Suddenly a car from the left lane abruptly changed lanes right in front of me. The front left corner of my Prius smashed into his front right fender; I must've been doing 35-40 MPH. My car was knocked off into the right-most lane (and I was very lucky not to have been smashed by a driver in that lane, indeed). I think the damage is reparable--I had the car towed to a local shop that my dealer claims knows how to work on Prii. I was, of course, wearing my seatbelt. Nonetheless, my head bumped pretty hard into the plastic door pillar of the driver's side door. You know, the plastic case that contains the side curtain airbags? The airbags that didn't pop out? Should I have expected more protection from that airbag system? The impact was pretty much directly on the front left corner, just about 45 degrees off-axis from the front and the side. I'm all right, I think. Went to the doctor yesterday and had my bump looked at. She said I was "neurologically intact." But I'm rather upset about the lack of airbag deployment. And, of course, I'm pretty sick about my little Prius, and I hope they can fix it up. Dave __________________ 2010 Prius III, Barcelona Red 2005 Prius VI, Salsa Red Pearl

01-26-2006, 09:48 PM	#7
TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator Join Date: May 2004 Location: Far-North Chicagoland Posts: 11,215 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 58 Thanked 311 Times in 195 Posts Friends: 27	Yeah, sorry to hear about your situation. I had the exact same thing happen to me except in my case it was a semi tractor trailer. No joke! I'm driving along and there there's a 5-foot tire inches from my driver's window literaly pushing me sideways. Killed me instantly. I got better. If I'm correct - and I think I'm close - the airbags deploy when the vehicle is hit square (roughly) from the side or the front. Someone posted a long time ago that two of the three sensors in the front must detect an impact to trigger a deployment. I can imagine that there's a similar situation on the side. Again, I'm sorry to hear about your accident. Make sure the schmuck in the other car pays for it. __________________ Current Mileage \| Chicago Prius Group Website Chicago Hybrid Group on FaceBook \| Find me on FaceBook

01-27-2006, 01:24 PM	#10
SomervillePrius Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Somerville, MA Posts: 945 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Friends: 0	sms92: Evan's coments are a bit strong, air bags are safe and very helpful as long as you wear a seat belt. If you don't then the air bag might actually harm more then help (you being flung forward, and not slowed by the seat belt, meeting an exploding airbag). But using seatbelts the airbag help grown-up. Newer airbags also explode slower (and at different rates as neccesary) to reduce the likleyhood of injury (the priis has this). I also think all of this is true esp. for front airbags. I think the side air bags are less dangerous and are more to stop your head or arms from ending up outside the car. So, if I where you I would def. go for the airbargs (it was a selling point for me). __________________ help start a revolution! Demand PLUG IN Hybrids to be built today!

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01-26-2006, 06:53 PM	#2
San_Carlos_Jeff Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Northern California Posts: 618 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: Package: #3 Thanks: 37 Thanked 7 Times in 6 Posts Friends: 0	Seems to me that if you bumped your head pretty hard the airbag should have deployed. Most of the time when I've heard about people claiming their airbags didn't work it turns out that their body parts didn't bump into anything, and the bags were working correctly. Bummer about the car, glad to hear you're ok. Cars can be fixed, brains not as easily.

01-26-2006, 07:24 PM	#3
jeneric Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Redmond, WA Posts: 442 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	I think the airbag is a pretty violent thing. I think I'd rather bump my head "pretty hard" than risk the airbag ripping my head off like you see in all those warning pictures.

01-26-2006, 07:38 PM	#4
naterprius Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,831 My Car: Other Non-Hybrid Model: Package: N/A Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Airbags are risky when they deploy. The system balances that risk from deployment versus the risk of injury from the crash. It sounds like you are uninjured. You were hurt, but not injured. (See the movie "The Program" for the definition of "hurt" vs "injured.") Looks like the computer made the right decision. Nate

01-26-2006, 08:23 PM	#5
jbarnhart Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Santa Clara, CA Posts: 629 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 1	Also, when the airbag deploys it often does thousands of dollars of damage to the interior. It is truly a "last ditch" effort to save the lives of the occupants. Doesn't sound to me like it was needed in this case.

01-26-2006, 09:20 PM	#6
efusco Troll Slayer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nixa, MO Posts: 18,055 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 102 Thanked 501 Times in 270 Posts Friends: 41	That kind of collision is clearly not one that would cause airbag deployment...and you should be glad for the reasons given above. The force of an airbag is enough to kill a small adult or a child when it deploys. Bumping your head "pretty hard" in an oblique collision is clear evidence that there was not nearly enough force to cause the air bags to trigger. PS. Sorry about the accident, hope your car get's fixed back good as new.

01-27-2006, 05:30 AM	#8
DaveShepherd Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Washington, DC (VA Suburbs) Posts: 135 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: III Package: No Package Thanks: 27 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts Friends: 0	Thanks for the responses. Yeah, I figured that the fact that it was an oblique hit, at not a very high speed, probably explained it. The other driver's insurance, State Farm, is paying for everything, including the rental Neon I have for the duration of the repair. Right after the wreck, the only vehicle the car rental guys had was a Dodge Ram 4X4 pickup. Yecchhh! Got that changed right away! Dave

01-27-2006, 01:19 PM	#9
sms92 Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 6 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Evan and others, When you say the force of the airbag is enough to "KILL" a small adult do you mean that literally? And would 5'4 and 120 lbs qualify as a small adult? I have been absolutely obsessed with getting side airbags for safety, however, I thought there was something in the car that sensed your weight and adjusted deployment accordingly (maybe that is honda??). Anyway, if anyone has any insight please share, I don't want to pay for side airbags only to end up crushed by them! Sorry to hear about your accident Dave.