Guest post by Brenda Panin

Though few and far between, airbags do not always inflate during an accident. What makes an airbag inflate? Why would an airbag not inflate? There are so many debates over this topic that the Department of Transportation cannot keep up. While there are many factors (such as the direction or angle which the accident occured) that would stop an airbag from deploying, one thing is sure in newer cars. Weight is everything!

Many people file complaints, after an accident, about the airbag in their car not deploying. What is shocking is that most of these complaints are filed because their infant was in the seat. Modern air bags are set to deploy only if a specific weight is reached. What this means is that the seat has, in a sense, a scale. If the seat's minimum weight is not reached, the air bag will not think that a person is in the seat, thus turning itself off. Let's pretend that the minimum weight is 25 lbs. If you put an average purse and a modern laptop (with case) in the seat, the seat will register at approximately 21 lbs. Since 21 lbs. is less than the 25 lb. minimum, the airbag will automatically deactivate itself. What is shocking about parents complaining that the airbag did not activate for their child is the fact that every car has a child warning label about airbags.

What can we do about this problem? The answer is so simple. Upon purchasing a new vehicle, look for warning labels. If you do not find any child related warnings mounted in the car, research the vehicle. Buying a vehicle should be a more researched decision than buying a house, especially if you have children. Think of it like this: Your house will stand still 365 days a year. You have to research insurance rates, school districts, and neighborhoods your future home will be in. Now, think about this: Your car will average 60 miles per hour for at least 332 and a half days out of the year. You will have to research insurance. Is that all? NO. You need to research safety featurs more heavily than any other feature that the makers offer. The safety features provided will protect not only you, but any passenger that you will ever have. You need to make sure that you read warning labels on the visor, read the owner's manual in the glove compartment, and research the vehicle as much as possible.

Now that you know one of the most popular "malfunctions" of in car airbags, are you willing to place a bet... On your life? My guess would be, no. Next time you hear about an airbad not deflating, think about the facts. Statistics show that airbags do NOT deploy unless they are manufactured to do so. Before buying a vehicle, do your research, make sure you understand, and know the vehicle's safety features. Most importantly, picture the worst case scenario. If you have kids or other family members, who are going to be passengers in said vehicle, make sure that every safety feature has the best possible ratings. If you do not commit yourself to do this, how would you ever expect a vehicle's safety features to properly work the way that you expect them to?