Damon Mcknight
Airbags have been compulsory in all new cars sold in Australia since 1980. The safety feature was first installed in a Mercedes-Benz S-Class and has since become a staple in road safety, with some modern cars in Australia containing up to six or seven airbags. The Australian Design Rule 69 (ADR69), which was introduced in 1995, mandates full frontal crash protection, and many manufacturers have introduced frontal airbags to meet this standard.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year when airbags were first installed in passenger cars | 1980 |
| First company to install airbags in their passenger cars | Mercedes-Benz |
| Year when airbags became compulsory in Australia | Not mentioned |
| Number of airbags in modern Australian cars | 6 or 7 |
| The car model with the highest number of airbags in Australia | Lexus GS |
| Number of airbags in Lexus GS | 14 |
| Number of injuries reduced by airbags in Australia | Head, face, neck, and chest injuries |
| Percentage of injury risk reduced by frontal airbags | 50% |
| Percentage of injury risk reduced by side airbags | 40% |
| The year when the development of safety cushions that could be deployed in a microsecond in a crash began | 1967 |
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What You'll Learn
Airbags reduce injury risk by 50% in frontal crashes
Airbags are inflatable cushions built into vehicles that deploy in accidents to protect drivers and passengers from hitting the interior of the vehicle or objects outside, such as other vehicles or trees. They are designed to work in tandem with seat belts, not replace them. In fact, NHTSA estimates that the combination of an airbag, a lap, and a shoulder belt reduces the risk of death in frontal crashes by 61%, compared to a 50% reduction for belts alone and a 34% reduction for airbags alone.
Frontal airbags have been shown to reduce driver deaths by 29% and front-seat passenger deaths by about 32%. They are designed to deploy in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal crashes, which are defined as crashes that are equivalent to hitting a fixed barrier at 8 to 14 mph or higher. Since the 1999 model year, the federal government has required automakers to install driver and passenger frontal airbags for impact protection in all cars, light trucks, and vans. Frontal airbags have saved more than 50,000 lives over a 30-year period.
Side airbags are also important, as they reduce deaths from side crashes. They are offered as standard or optional equipment on many new passenger vehicles. Side airbags with head protection reduce a car driver's risk of death in driver-side crashes by 37% and an SUV driver's risk by over 50%. Side airbags that protect the head are especially crucial as they can be the only thing between a person's head and another vehicle in a crash with shattered window glass.
While airbags have been proven to save lives, they can also cause injuries and fatalities, especially if the occupant is sitting too close to the airbag when it deploys. This was a more serious concern with the first generations of frontal airbags, which deployed with greater force. Serious injuries and fatalities from airbags are rare, but they can occur, especially if the occupant is not wearing a seatbelt or is sitting too close to the steering wheel.
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Airbags and seat belts are key to road safety
The effectiveness of airbags in reducing injuries during frontal crashes has been well-documented. Research by the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) found that airbags reduce the risk of injury by up to 50% in frontal crashes and up to 40% in side-impact crashes. This has been further supported by studies examining the impact of Australian Design Rule 69 (ADR69), which sets standards for frontal crash protection. These studies found that the combination of ADR69 and airbags was highly effective in reducing injuries, particularly to the head.
The development of airbags has come a long way since their inception. In the beginning, airbags faced controversy, with critics arguing that they would cause more harm than good. However, Australia played a key role in advancing airbag technology, with Holden leading the way both locally and internationally since 1995. Holden worked closely with Ford and safety supplier Autoliv to improve airbag systems, and they developed the Harm formula (considering hospital costs, rehabilitation costs, and monetary loss) to measure the effectiveness of airbags in reducing injury costs.
Today, airbags are an essential safety feature in vehicles, and their success is undeniable. Ross McArthur, manager of vehicle safety and chairman of the Australian New Car Accident Protection (ANCAP) steering committee, emphasises the importance of airbags, stating that they are one of the three best developments in road safety, alongside seat belts and stability control. When purchasing a vehicle, McArthur recommends prioritising one with a driver airbag and head-protecting side airbags for optimal protection.
In conclusion, airbags and seat belts are crucial components of road safety. The combination of seat belt usage and airbag deployment significantly reduces the risk of injury in frontal crashes, as evidenced by research and real-world investigations. Australia has played a pivotal role in advancing airbag technology, and it is now standard for all vehicles sold in the country to be equipped with airbags. By prioritising road safety and embracing innovative solutions, we can continue to enhance the protection offered by these life-saving features.
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Australia was a leader in airbag technology
Sparke highlights the development of the VR Commodore airbag, which, although not very successful, led to a collaboration with Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) to create a formula called Harm (hospital costs, rehabilitation costs, and monetary loss) to measure the injury costs of crashes and the effectiveness of airbags. This formula was instrumental in improving airbag performance requirements in the United States, specifically for small occupants.
The success of airbags in Australia is evident, with not a single car sold in the country lacking at least one airbag. Many vehicles now feature six or seven airbags. Real-world investigations by MUARC found that driver airbags reduced the severity of head injuries by 75%, facial injuries by 51%, neck injuries by 70%, and chest injuries by 47%.
The rapid deployment of airbags, at 50 milliseconds (half the time it takes to blink), and their effectiveness in reducing injuries, have made them essential to road safety, comparable to the importance of seat belts. The cost of replacing airbags is generally insignificant compared to repairing vehicle damage, and airbags are now about one-tenth of the price they were in the early 1980s.
While Australia has been a leader in airbag technology, continuous improvements are being made globally. For instance, in 2019, Honda announced a new front passenger airbag technology with three inflatable chambers to reduce the likelihood of concussion injuries in collisions.
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Airbags were first installed in 1980
Airbags were first invented in 1968 by Allen Breed, who created a crash-sensing airbag system. However, it was not until the 1970s that airbags began to be installed in cars. In 1971, the Ford Motor Company built an experimental airbag fleet, and General Motors installed airbags in a fleet of 1973 Chevrolet Impalas for government use. The 1973 Oldsmobile Toronado was the first car with a passenger airbag sold to the public. Despite these developments, airbags were not widely adopted at this time, and General Motors discontinued its airbag option for the 1977 model year, citing a lack of consumer interest.
It was not until the late 1980s and early 1990s that airbags became more commonly installed in cars. In 1988, Chrysler became the first United States automaker to fit a driver-side airbag as standard equipment, offering it in six different models. The following year, Chrysler became the first US auto manufacturer to offer driver-side airbags in all its new passenger models, and it began featuring airbags in its advertisements to showcase their life-saving capabilities. This helped to increase public awareness of the safety benefits of airbags, and by the late 1980s, safety had become a selling advantage.
The first known collision between two airbag-equipped automobiles took place on 12 March 1990 in Virginia, USA. Both drivers suffered only minor injuries despite extensive damage to the vehicles, demonstrating the effectiveness of airbags in mitigating the impact of a collision. By the early 1990s, airbags had become common in most cars, and they have been mandatory in many markets since 1998. While airbags have contributed to a sharp decline in road fatalities and serious injuries, it is important to note that some early installations caused fatalities and serious injuries due to the force of airbag deployment.
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Airbags are now compulsory in Australia
Airbags have been compulsory in new cars sold in Australia for many years now. In 2019, the Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) airbag celebrated its 25th anniversary. The SRS airbag was first installed in a passenger car, a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, in 1980. Despite a controversial beginning, with some predicting that airbags would kill more people than they saved, they are now considered essential to road safety.
Australia has been a world leader in airbag technology, with Holden leading the way on this technology since 1995, in collaboration with Ford and safety supplier Autoliv. The development of a safety cushion that could be deployed in a microsecond in a crash began in 1967, and airbags have been credited as one of the three best innovations in road safety, alongside seat belts and stability control.
Ross McArthur, manager of vehicle safety and chairman of the Australian New Car Accident Protection (ANCAP) steering committee, has stated that airbags in the front reduce injury risk by 50%, while side airbags can reduce injury by up to 40%. He recommends that people should avoid buying any vehicle, new or used, that does not have a driver airbag.
The Lexus GS is Australia's airbag king, featuring 14 airbags, including driver and passenger knee-protection bags. The effectiveness of airbags in reducing injuries has been demonstrated in studies, such as the MUARC investigation, which found that the mean HARM (hospital costs, rehabilitation costs, and monetary loss) per driver was 60% higher in non-airbag vehicles compared to those with airbags.
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Frequently asked questions
Airbags were first introduced in a passenger car in 1980.
The first car to have airbags was the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
While I cannot find explicit information on whether airbags were made compulsory in Australia, it is mentioned that in 2019, airbags were celebrating their 25th anniversary in the country. Additionally, it is stated that no car sold in Australia does not have at least one airbag, with many having six or seven.
Airbags are an essential part of road safety, reducing the risk of injury by up to 50% in frontal crashes and 40% in side crashes.
The white dust that comes out of an airbag when it deploys is cornflour, which acts as a lubricant.
