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Comment by lutan1 on December 29, 2010 at 3:11am

Cars over here requrie multiple things to occur concurrently- this includes a minimum speed, correct sensor impact (I think 2?) and g-force.

Comment by Rob Madrigal on January 25, 2010 at 11:39pm

Although it's very unlikely, it could happen especially if the car has been damaged in a front-end collision. Safety the car by removing the key from the ignition, securing the battery and pulling everything out that's plugged in (cell phones, chagrers, iPods). Even when all power is secured, the bags may still deploy. Keep in mind the 5-10-20 rule...5" clearance from rear and side impact airbags, 10' from the driver's bag and 20" from the passenger airbag. Never cut into the high pressure cylinders that are hidden in the posts. Always peel and peek before cutting.
~Aloha~

Comment by Michael A. Pimental on January 22, 2010 at 7:42pm

Some cars use "crush" sensors- when crushed, they send power to the inflator. If hit just right, yes it could be "tripped" by a ped.

Comment by Ben Waller on January 20, 2010 at 3:38pm

More information here.

"Because air bag sensors measure deceleration, vehicle speed and damage are not good indicators of whether or not ...."


"Hitting the the body or frame of the car with a hammer will cause t....
Partially True!

Although certain crash criteria must be met in order for a deployment to occur, there have been instances where simply working on the car has caused the airbag to deploy. The most common accidental deployment is a side impact activating the side airbag. These sensors, mounted near the center pillar or floor edge, are much more sensitive and may cause an accidental deployment by striking the area near them with a hammer or in some cases even slamming the door too hard. There are also records of Emergency Responders accidentally deploying an airbag with the 'Jaws of Life' or by inadvertently cutting through a roof curtain airbag canister. ALWAYS disconnect and power down the system before doing any heavy work on the vehicle."

Comment by Capt.Alex Arnold on January 20, 2010 at 11:04am

This maybe of some comfort, to you CB...they are both right :) Now perhaps to clarify. This video is fake, or at least I should say special effects enhanced, so John is right. Ben is also correct, it could discharge with a simple collision.
Air bags are just one of those "safety" features that have, yes, saved lives inside of the car. Like so man yof the safety features on todays vehicles, they are safer for passengers but the rescuers are facing more hazards and difficulty getting safe access to them.
I don't know if that is any help but always remember to treat these cars now days like lit dynamite...until you pull tht fuse off it could go bang at anytime.
Be safe and learn something new today.

Comment by Ben Waller on January 20, 2010 at 10:47am

This one may have been staged, but check out some of the airbag info on Ron Moore's University of Extrication page for more.

Comment by Jack/dt on January 20, 2010 at 10:41am

FAKE
1) no "dust" whatsoever, regardless that it's a convertible
2) there was no "deceleration", the vehicle was at a complete stop and there is about 7 seconds from the time the camera turns till the person hits the car
3) there is a visible lag from impact to inflation
4) bag should have deflated, it appears not to have done so.
5) the impact clearly is not enough to even chip the paint, much less activate the airbag.
6) camera position is perfectly placed to observe entire incident

Comment by Oldman on January 20, 2010 at 10:28am

Modern airbags deploy based on velocity, deceleration, and braking. I would doubt very seriously that an old lady could cause deployment. But it is a funny video.

http://hypertextbook.com/facts/2003/MichelleYee.shtml

Comment by Oldman on January 20, 2010 at 10:05am

Moral of the story... Don't mess with old people!

Comment by Doug on January 20, 2010 at 9:02am

I'm of the thinking that this is hollywood stuff/fake. I understand what Chief Waller is saying, and it is fact, but still, more than one sensor needs to be actuated simultaneously for the airbag to deploy.

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