Daughter in accident - Air Bags didn't Deploy (New Update - Totaled)

[sonnydurden]

Originally Posted by JCunningham

doesnt look totaled to me. Did your daughter hit the steering wheel enough to get hurt from it. If not the airbag probably would have hurt her more. Id say the air bags did not need to deploy and the car absorb most of the impact as designed. She could have been driving a compact and it would not have turned out so well.

She ended up with a mild concussion, whiplash, some back pain, and a bruised arm.. They believe her head hit the steering wheel because the another person involved in the accident woke her up.. So she blacked out.. My wife just found out there is an air bag recall on the 2013 Challengers.. We never received anything in the mail.. Stay tuned..

[No Excuses]

That airbag should of went off with that damage. Looks like a defect.

[Number 3]

Photos match my thoughts in my earlier post. Looks like very little damage to the bumper beam with the hood and fenders taking the brunt of it. I would guess that she either hit a vehicle with a higher rear bumper or she was hard on the brakes (likely to try to avoid the crash) which would cause the front end to dive under the bumper of the vehicle in front of her.

This crash is much different with different decelerations. Not knowing the exact speed, but guessing she was hard on the brakes already and had slowed some, my guess is this crash might not have deployed the airbags.

The key is she is safe and not badly hurt.

Airbags, if you don't know this, are explosive devices and if deployed at the wrong time can do damage. If you have not seen one deploy, look it up on the internets. A while ago, there were regular explosions at propellant factories as it is essentially dealing with pyrotechnics or explosives.

In a soft crash, wearing your seatbelts, as everyone should an airbag might not do any good other than abrade your face or burn your arm.

Be thankful she is ok. From the bit I know, I would say the car performed well as the driver walked away.

[Camaro_Corvette]

Originally Posted by Number 3

Weight only effects the passenger airbag. There is a lit indicator somewhere on the dash that tells you if is on or off. That is weight dependent.

Driver airbag is simply deceleration. A bumper under ride, I.e. Your daughter was hard on the brakes and the nose went under the car in front would result in a "softer" impact. The other is simply speed. I believe it varies from manufacturer to manufacturer but if she had slowed to under 12 mph or so they simply wouldn't go off.

Glad she is ok but not all impacts will deploy the airbags.

This

[sonnydurden]

Originally Posted by Number 3

Photos match my thoughts in my earlier post. Looks like very little damage to the bumper beam with the hood and fenders taking the brunt of it. I would guess that she either hit a vehicle with a higher rear bumper or she was hard on the brakes (likely to try to avoid the crash) which would cause the front end to dive under the bumper of the vehicle in front of her.

This crash is much different with different decelerations. Not knowing the exact speed, but guessing she was hard on the brakes already and had slowed some, my guess is this crash might not have deployed the airbags.

The key is she is safe and not badly hurt.

Airbags, if you don't know this, are explosive devices and if deployed at the wrong time can do damage. If you have not seen one deploy, look it up on the internets. A while ago, there were regular explosions at propellant factories as it is essentially dealing with pyrotechnics or explosives.

In a soft crash, wearing your seatbelts, as everyone should an airbag might not do any good other than abrade your face or burn your arm.

Be thankful she is ok. From the bit I know, I would say the car performed well as the driver walked away.

Good stuff man!!.. Thanks for the insight!!!!.. I believe had it not been for her seat belt..she might of been seriously hurt or worst!

[Dave McFly]

I was in one even worse than that but since I was not going more than 10/15 my bag did not go off either, I had to replace the entire front clip and radiator and trans cooler ouch.

[kevint]

Glad to hear she is okay, albeit banged-up a bit.

Anyone else notice the shaker-cup still in the cup holder? That's a quality cup holder.

[Mean Green Z28]

had a 3/4 front impact on my Colorado work truck a few years ago, airbags didn't deploy; truck was totaled. I was def. over 120lbs, lol ... it was possibly due to the offset collision and the front end crumple zone really doing its job.

[sonnydurden]

I just heard back from the adjuster. After a week in the body shop..its totaled. Almost $8000 in body work, the engine is a wrap and so is the ABS system...

[shine2013]

Least she's okay. I'm surprised you didn't say your heart stopped. Best thing is she's alive, which is what matters most. That said, if you never buy another Dodge I wouldn't blame you

[SpeedIsLife]

Originally Posted by shine2013

Least she's okay. I'm surprised you didn't say your heart stopped. Best thing is she's alive, which is what matters most. That said, if you never buy another Dodge I wouldn't blame you

Seems to me that the Challenger did exactly what it was supposed to do: save her life.

Camaro, Mustang and Challenger are all very safe cars. I would take one for safety over a Fusion/Malibu/Avenger anyday