We have two vehicles with front air bags only. I am wondering if it would be prudent to replace one or both with vehicle including side and curtain air bags. Mainly drive the car and the Tacoma lives in the garage as back up. 2002 and 2006. Neither has mechanical problems

I had a wreck where my F150 got broadsided by a Camry about a month ago. Dropped both side and driver seat airbags. 2010 truck with 50000 miles. Barely any body damage but the insurance totaled the truck due to airbag cost to replace. I walked away w/o a scratch and the camry popped all front and side bags. He was unhurt also. I think my head would have broken the side window if the bags hadn’t been there. Before that I never gave it a thought, but now really glad I had them

I survived a 70mph front right impact into a parked flatbed semi because of airbags and also wearing my seatbelt. Superficial cuts and some major bruising from the airbag, but it’s downright amazing I was not killed. Long story short. My tail end was knocked out from behind by an inattentive driver changing lanes from center to fast, while I was still there. Car was a 2007 Lexus IS 250.

I was involved in a head on collision 4 years ago, every airbag in the 2014 Accord deployed. I do believe that the airbags certainly helped.

My son was saved in a head-on crash by the air bags in a Nissan Frontier truck. Great crumple zone and engine-drop engineering helped too. He walked away with some minor abrasions from the air bags themselves.

The truck was totaled and there wasn't more than two feet of distance from the windshield to where the front of the truck ended up.


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Thankfully, never. But I do wish that if they are ever needed, they will do their job.

We hit a deer hard with our Challenger last fall and no airbags. Was surprised as it was buried in our grill. Over 7K worth of damage.

T-boned a sedan at 55 mph that ran a red light and walked away with just some soft tissue injury. The front air bag in my Dodge pickup kept me from slamming into the steering wheel or worse. Yes, they work.

When I was 16 I survived a front on with a 1970’s cougar. I don’t know how. He was doing 50 on a wet mountain road.i was in a 1976 chevette. Seatbelt only.

In 1987 I was hit in a 1983 bronco, seatbelts only.

In 1990 I was in a 1988 ranger, seatbelts only.

I wish I had had airbags.

When I was a cop,over 18 years I saw some really bad wrecks. And I wish those people had had airbags, it might have saved a few...

I wouldn’t seek out a new car for airbags only, but I’d never buy a new to me car w/o airbags...unless it was some kinda old mustang or GTO that was manufactured w/o them

I haven't been saved by airbags, but 2 years ago I totaled a full-sized pickup that didn't have side airbags. It made me realize the possibilities.

I hit black ice at 45 mph, slid off the road and smacked a tree. Maybe the truck was doing 35 at impact. Contact was just behind the front wheel, driver's side. Had it been 2 feet further back on the vehicle I may not be here today.

I knew the impact was coming and braced for it the best I could. Even so, my left hand shattered the driver's side window and my head hit the pillar behind the door. Thank God I had my seat belt on.

Replace the vehicles if you can.

Thanks
I hate replacing paid off reliable transportation. If I ever needed the air bags, I am sure I would wish I had them. I think everyone's driving is becoming worse and the population density around here has exploded

I just left home about a minute earlier and was seconds away from entering my first traffic light controlled intersection. As I approached, a vehicle turned left in front of me a little close, and then the vehicle behind it attempted the same, appearing to have not seen me. It was at night, but the intersection and highway was well lighted.

It literally appeared that the driver was targeting my black and white fully marked and outfitted 2008 Crown Victoria police car. It was way more like a head-on collision than a T-bone when we collided in the intersection. The airbag deployed and did its job protecting me from serious injury.

I had burns on my hands from the gasses, bruises on my shoulder from the seatbelt and a bruise on my foot, possibly from the break pedal. My most serious injury, which I didn't realize for a while, was from my neck slapping forward since my protective vest kept me so rigid. I still have a lot of neck injury issues, but at least I wasn't killed or injured FAR worse.

quote:

Anyone been saved by airbags ?

Been in more than a couple of bad wrecks, and I would to say, yes, they have saved me.

Yes. Two times.

First was in 1991. My brand new 1991 Pontiac Trans Am was T-boned by a drunk driver. Collapsed the passenger side compartment, blew out the T-tops and my right thigh bent the stick shift.

First cop on the scene threw a sheet over me. He thought I was dead. Scared the hell out of them when I started moving around under the sheet.

Second time was in 2002. I was in an unmarked Crown Vic and was again T-boned by an octogenarian who ran a stop sign. He never saw me. Thank God he was uninjured. I had minor injuries that time. But the actuator.....solenoid? on the steering wheel airbag caught the sleeve of my sportcoat on fire.

I am content to forgo any more airbag demonstrations. Regards 18DAI

Yes. Airbags were improved in 1998 by reducing the inflation forces, so you could purchase reliable used transportation from that date forward. I have seen many accidents as a volunteer with the local police, and attest to the airbag's effectiveness.

You can't predict the direction an impact will come from but any airbag AND three point seat belt can make all the difference.
I'm always amazed at the stupidity of the statement that "my seat belt could jam and the car could catch fire" to explain why some don't wear them.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 220-9er,

Not by an air bag, but a helmet has kept my melon from getting busted on two specific occasions.

Yes, they certainly contributed to my wife and I surviving a bad accident. When I bought the replacement Jeep, I opted for the side airbags, too.

Win

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
You can't predict the direction an impact will come from but any airbag AND three point seat belt can make all the difference.
I'm always amazed at the stupidity of the statement that "my seat belt could jamb and the car could catch fire" to explain why some don't wear them.

It could happen. Seems like a lot lower probability than a seatbelt saving your life. Besides, one can buy seatbelt cutters all day long. And then there is that rule about never go anywhere without a knife...

I suspect the real reason is laziness.

Thirty some years ago my younger brother was parking cars for a party at a house with three driveways on a country road with not great sight lines. Pulling out of the middle driveway he saw the person start to turn left into the driveway past him and went, thinking he was clear. He didn’t see that person stop when the young gal came flying down the road from that direction. The impact pinned one of his ankles, fractured his pelvis front and rear, ruptured his spleen, and tore his pericardium, all while knocking him across the front seat. Had he been wearing a seatbelt he’d have died. Six months later his biggest gripe was being a little stiff when playing sports. He religiously wears a seatbelt now. He says he’s already had his accident where it would have been a bad thing.

I nailed a big Doe that walked in front of my first Cooper S,

another 10 feet and I would have stopped ,but instead she got hit, crushed the front right of the car and rolled up on my hood,
no airbag deployment, which surprised me, (guessing I had slowed enough to not activate?


my second Cooper S got rear ended, I was stopped in traffic and the guy in the pickup did not see me,

nailed me at 65 or so, seatbelt saved me from hitting the steering wheel or worse,
I had a bruise on my elbow (window, or door panel) , my collar bone from the seat belt, and soft tissue bruising on my back from slapping back against the seat (which I knocked out of position)

the driver of the pickup had his airbags deploy, other than the dusty talcum stuff that is in the bags covering him, he was fine, not a scratch


I saw an accident similar years ago, traffic stopped quickly, and one driver rear ended another,
it was spring, windows were down, and you could see the bags go off and the dust/talcum/propellant puff out the window, then about a second later the driver was out checking on the person in the car ahead,

My wife was saved by the airbags in her 1998 Toyota Camry. She rear-ended another car doing about 40 miles an hour. Everybody walked away without injury.

Do I think the airbags were responsible? I don't know. My wife is a fanatic about wearing her seatbelt. I will say it certainly didn't do her any harm despite having an explosive charge fire just a few inches in front of her face.