Suppose it depends on how close you sit to the steering wheel and how the airbag hit you, there is a chance it could break them
i heard hitting an airbag feels like being smacked in the face with a frying pan!!! which is better some how than the steering wheel lol
We have this scenario at work at least once a month, people driving hire cars into all manner of scotlands wildlife, cows,sheep,foxes and deer the most common! The people who return the cars afterwards always look a bit pastey and shocked! Almost brings a tear to my eye charging them upto their 950 quid excess
The optimum place to sit its with the sit in mid run, and mid hight (if adjustable) and with the column in mid / mid (if adjustable for rake and reach) this is assuming a 50th percentile male is used. - mr average, but most men are now bigger than mr average, and heavier too by a little bit (he dates from the us airforce testinng in the 50s and 60s) the mid, mid mid is where most delvelpment testing is done. out of position testing is done too, this uses a 95th % male sitting at the back of the seat run (normally 1 or 2 notches from full rear ward) and he wieghs more too. the same is done for females too, this is 5th%ile testing, where the female is lighter and smaller and sits closer. the airbag inflates in within a couple of tenths, but as you are going into the bag its no longer being inflated it a controlled deflation as you enter it, you are slowed down as you deflate the bag. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nlWJayKWvw0 this shows the bag inflating, the deflation holes can be seen on the back of the unit, the 2 red circles. these have a fine mesh which slowly lets the gasses out. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=F4dm6sCBHsg&feature=related heres one at full speed, looks dramatic and like it deflates too fast but it works.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=uAaGWcw8Xg0 this one shows the bags inflating and then deflating as the occupant leaves the bags quite well from the barrier camera.
I hit a bull in Australia in a Volvo 240 at 30mph. All I can say is my car came off a lot worse than that. The bull smashed the windscreen with its back, its neck snapped round the drivers A-pillar and broke the drivers window into my lap and then put a huge dent in the roof as it went over the top. The volvo did another 13,000 kms before the police made us take it off the road!!! Now that's a solid car.
thats a right off. The dash and bags alone are around 3K the pillars took the brunt, but buy it back and TFSI a mk1!
Out of the car, ring a taxi, tell him to bring a butcher's knife and a hacksaw. Job done, freezer filled.
