As mentioned earlier, an airbag is one of the essential passive features of a car. That's the reason all modern cars come equipped with airbags as standard. Without airbags, the occupants may suffer serious injuries in the event of a severe collision. Without any cushion, the passenger's head, neck, knees, etc., may collide with the car's interior. Such injuries can be fatal.

So, airbags play an important role in minimising injuries. They act as a cushion and soften the blow experienced by the passengers during a collision. However, the airbags are of no use if the occupants are not using the seatbelts. That's because the airbag is also part of the restraint system, and they work in sync with the seatbelts.

Sometimes the airbags can also hurt you if you have not fastened the seatbelts. Remember that the airbag deploys with an explosion, and if you are thrown uncontrollably from your seat, the force of airbag deployment may injure you. Hence, seatbelts are also as important as airbags in a car.

Pros and cons of airbags in cars

In this section, let’s look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of car airbags.

Pros of airbags in cars

Below are the merits of car airbags.

• The airbags increase the cushioning around the driver/passenger's head, neck and spine in case of a severe collision.
  
• It minimises the force of impact by limiting the movement of the person's head and neck, provided the driver/passenger wears the seatbelt.
  
• It decreases the chances of occupants being thrown out of the front windshield or windows.
  

Cons of airbags in cars

Here are some of the disadvantages of car airbags.

• Deployment explosion: The airbags deploy by means of a chemical reaction. The inflator triggers an explosion that produces nitrogen, which fills the airbags. In some situations, the explosion can ignite fuel fumes or any other flammable component of the vehicle. In that case, it may lead to a fire accident.
  
• Dust cloud: The airbag is coated with talcum powder for ease of deployment. So, when the airbag deploys, it produces a dust cloud, which may cause breathing issues, asthma attacks or other respiratory-related issues.
  
• Deployment force: The airbags deploy with an incredible amount of force that equals a speed of around 300 km/h. So, if your body is too close to the steering wheel/dashboard when the airbag deploys, you could suffer severe injuries.
  
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