I had a class in accident reconstruction and crash safety as well as having done a test of airbags at a crash lab.

Early airbags can be safe but only in the exact right conditions, otherwise there is a real potential for injury or death from an early bag. You MUST be belted in properly for an airbag to work, if not it expands under your chin and breaks your neck. (my professor has seen decapitations from early bags in case studies) In my study I measured 3,000 lbs of crush force at 6-8 inches from the surface of a steering wheel bag from an early GM Gen 1 air bag. That WILL kill granny and is the reason that Gen 2 bags are 2 stage (low and high) as well as having occupant detection capacities. This is also not considering the fact that the bags are 20 years old. If I recall correctly airbags should be replaced after 10 or 15 years. Bottom line, airbags CAN make a crash less harmful but not always and your chances of "not always" go up with the older the airbag is.

Our cars are very safe. The occupant protection structure is VERY good and that is what will keep you from being hurt. Porsche does their homework when it comes to crash safety. Look at Bloodravins car, he was T-boned by an Expidition and he was OK. Bottom line, the 944 is a good vehicle as far as safety is concerned, with or without airbags.

I did not trust my bags so I removed them. They are some of the most powerful airbags ever and only in a severe direct head on collision are they even remotely helpful.

There is also NO chance you will be impaled by your steering wheel and no airbag will ever protect you from that. There is a collapsable stering column in our cars as mandated by the government since 1968 or 69. Now my 66 chevellee...that is a real possibility.

If your parents really want to have you be safe go to a defensive driving school like Bondurant. I can not stress the importance of this enough. A trained professional will take you out on a track and teach you what to do as well as giving you in class instruction. You may even get an insurance discount.

Expierience at the limits will make you a better safer drive so do it where it is safe to learn at a track, autocross or driving school, hell, even in a snowey parking lot so you know what to expect when tires stop going the direction they were going.

 

Yes.

I have a friend who is working on seat sensors that detect not only IF someone is in the seat but WHERE in the seat they are. This would enable or disable different safety featues to achieve the best protection of the occupant.

I have another friend who works at AutiLiv. They are a major crash test lab in Michigan. Chances are your non P-car was crashed there at some point in time. He also claims airbags are for the most part good but the older you get the more powerful and thus the more dangerous they get.

 

MY 67 has a collapsible steering column..

 

I hit a piece of road debris in my grandmothers avalon at 85mph. Just looked like a little piece of tire, but it set off the airbags while I was at that speed. Luckily ther was no "impact" so the airbags just expanded to within about 2 inches of my face and filled the cabin with dust. Almost caused me to have an accident (LOL). I rolled down the window, and the guy next to mee was looking in like WTF, as I was driving the car with the airbag dangling from the steering wheel.

I feel much safer when I tighten down the harnesses on the 951, than I ever will with airbags.

 

The new 2007 Carrera has great Air Bags, take the parents to the dealer........ you never ask you never get!!!

 

That is because the debris must have hit the front sensor. A friend of mine hit a sign post and set off the bags despite having suffered only a cracked bumper.

 

+1


I apologize for attempting to steal this thread, but is there a way to retrofit airbags into an 86? Say using a late model dash with some new airbags?

 

Sorry to say that with a 70 mph frontal impact, the passengers' injuries were not caused by the airbags. The seat belts and airbags are the only reason the passengers were not killed.

That said, they were not going 70 mph if the door only buckled 4 inches. More like 30 mph.

Airbags do, in fact, save lives. I'm living proof. Your face is going to hit something in a frontal impact and I'd rather it hit a nice soft airbag that gives than a hard steering wheel/windshield that is solid. Don't worry about the airbag breaking your arm if it is at the 12 o'clock position. By the time the airbag deploys, your hand won't even be on the wheel any longer. And I'd rather have a 20 year old airbag than no airbag at all.

The misinformation derived through anecdotal evidence on this board with regards to safety (especially airbags) is astounding.

 

Hey Lanny,

I see your from Lethbridge I grew up in Lethbridge, On Beaverbrook road over in the uplands! I never did see your car though

Brandon J

 

Hey Lanny,

I see your from Lethbridge I grew up in Lethbridge, On Beaverbrook road over in the uplands! I never did see your car though

Brandon J

 

The Altima hit the e30 (2 door) in the passneger door pillar, the front axle off the Altima was over 35 yards away from the accident. He hit her while running a red light it totalled the bimmer (wrinkled the roof popped out the rear windows etc) but yes he was indeed going that fast.