Airbags Suck, Rules for Disabling? Options

[2000Z-71]

Well I found out today R-compound tires can be hazardous to your health. I threw the Victoracers in the back or the truck to have them flipped and re-balanced for tomorrow's event at Phoenix International Receway. On the way back, a waste management garbage truck decided to cross all 7 lanes of 7th Street to make a left hand turn in front of me and literally drove over the hood of my F-150.

I had my seatbelt on and should be alright. I've got burns up the inside of my right forearm and bruising and cuts across my chest and stomach from the airbag deploying. I'm thinking I probably would not even have a scratch if the truck did not have airbags. I'm definately out for tomorrow's autocross. I went out to change tires and ended upo reopening some of my wounds from this morning.

I'm very concerned now about the Camaro since I sit a lot lower and closer to the wheel in that vehicle. I'm thinking the airbag deploying in that would cause even more injury than today's did. I know that there have been rumors about the SCCA having a new rule no longer allowing full face helmets in cars with an active airbag. What does the current rulebook say about disabling airbags?

[bruecksteve]

Sorry to hear about your accident, glad you're ok.

It's not a new rule. There was an advisory issued warning of possible issues but no rules against a full face helmet.

They cannot be disabled or removed in the stoc
k classes.

[mitchntx]

Holy cow, Frank ... glad you are "OK" ...

What caused the driver of the truck to do that?

[Absolut Speed]

I'm certainly not an expert, but I'd suspect that's the price for saving your life in a higher speed head-on type of crash.

Hope you have a speedy recovery.

[firehawkclone]

glad to hear your ok(some what) (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

How do you disable the airbags?I have a relay and 2 fuse's,what one's do i remove?

[INTMD8]

I've had an F-body airbag deploy with me behind the wheel and walked away without a scratch.

(Well, a few from broken glass)

[2000Z-71]

I think the driver of the garbage truck was suffering from a cranial rectal inversion and just didn't see me. He was coming from my left and made his turn across the 3 lanes of northbound traffic, the center lane, and all 3 lanes of the southbound directly in front of me. I was in the far right southbound lane and had absoluetly no where to go. The left front corner of my truck went underneath the right rear corner of the garbage truck as he finished his turn. My truck is probably totalled, the mud flap on the garbage truck is bent.

The paramedics had said that the driver of the garbage truck would probably not be ticketed since he would lose his job as a result. I was not cited and neither was the garbage truck driver. Forunately the lady in the middle lane next to me stayed and gave a statement. Her story was the same as mine, basically the garbage truck driver was an idiot. I'm just hoping this doesn't turn into a major PITA with the insurance companies and I will not be out my deductible since the garbage truck driver was not cited.

I've had one previous accident, a high speed head on into a tree after the left rear tire on my Gran National blew out causing me to lose control. The car did not have air bags, I was wearing my seat belt, and luckily walked away with no injuries what so ever. Today's accident was relatively low speed and I've got cuts, serious bruises and burns from the airbag. I'm not convinced that they provide the protection that they claim.

It sucks, the truck in all likelihood will be totalled. According to my insurance company, just replacing the airbag is anywhere from $1,500 ro $3,000. What really sucks is that I just finished up with the suspension work. I was basically making a K-Mart budget Lightning out of the truck, Eibach springs, Addco bars front and rear, shocks, urethane bushings, ball joints, Eibach spring shackles.

So now I get to look forward to fighting with the insurance companies and shopping for another truck once I get a settlement.

[shortbus]

I was in a head on collision in a 96 SS hard top. Airbag knocked the wind out of me but I walked away.

The car was MUNCHED. It was a 40 MPH zone. The BMW that I collided with was also.... compressed a bit.

[slowTA]

I'm convinced air bags have their place in high speed crashes, but aren't so good for low speed stuff. You didn't say if your truck has the newer 'safer' deploying airbags. They're supposed to have less of a charge in them so you won't get injured like you did. When I'm driving an airbag equiped car I try to keep a looser grip with all of my fingers on the outside of the wheel. I've heard this is supposed to allow your hands to be pushed away from the bag, instead of getting a digit hung up on the wheel causing a wrist injury. I also move the seat as far back as possible.

Doesn't stuff like this always happen JUST after you get done with a cool project. My '86 was totaled a few weeks after I finished a motor swap. I had hot starting issues with it at the time... mofo started right up after the wreck!

I feel your pain. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rant.gif)

[y5e06]

For a street car? I'd definately leave them in.
I needed them when I did this
I walked away
I walked away, Part II

[Racehead]

Me and my wife swapped vehicles yesterday. A lady hit her head on and all I have to say is thank god for airbags. My Civic is totalled. So what if you take a sucker punch from an airbag at slow speeds. You'll be as good as new in a few days/a week. They'll save your life at higher speeds. A pretty fair trade off IMO.

[John_D.]

For a street car? I'd definately leave them in.
I needed them when I did this
I walked away
I walked away, Part II

That's a heck of a hit...

The slogan on the side of the car hauler is hilarious.

"You maul 'em, we haul 'em" (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[2002z28ssconv]

Both of mine blew on my 02 SS but they didn't even burn my arms. It was a sideways impact at about 15 MPH so my face wasn't anywhere close to the bags.

The pole was the scary part.
(IMG:http://www.musclecarsoforlando.100megs25.com/jeff/SSCamaro/Birdseye%20View.jpg)

[35th_Anniversary...]

Airbags suck.

If the seatbelts are designed properly and worn properly then you wouldn't need air bags. The seatbelts in the Z06 suck. In the Metro I can lock the seatbelt at the top after I have it sinched by jerking on it. When I do this then my body can't possibly move far enough forward to hit the steering wheel or anything else.

I don't trust those airbags. Firstly I sit waaay too close to them. Secondly they aren't "air" bags, they are "chemical" bags.

Maybe I'm just way too old school when it comes to cars. I hate ABS too - in the SS, Blazer, and Z06. It's just worthless.

Traction Control is a waste too.

*end rant*

[LT4Firehawk]

Front airbags are for idiots that don't wear seatbelts. I've yet to see any hard evidence that shows an airbag in addition to a properly worn seatbelt reduces the injury rate versus just a properly worn seatbelt. Side impact airbags on the other hand, are a great idea and I think should be mandatory for all new cars.

[00 SS]

While I think the safety devices are great for normal cars, making them mandatory is the wrong approach in my opinion. Make them optional or put them on family sedans, minivans etc. I want the option of buying a car without the extra weight and gadgets particularly if it's not going to be a daily driver or if I'm going to use it in competition. Let people decide for themselves what level of "safety" they need for themselves and there families. Since I have no kids, the level of safety povided by a vehicle has never even been a concideration when deciding what to buy. It would probably be different if I had kids and needed a family hauler. Shouldn't I be allowed to decide what features suit my needs?

[steve-d]

Install an in line "ON-OFF" switch and you've got the best. Keep in mind you may want to use them for the street or have them when selling the car.

Steve

[00 SS]

Agreed, for a street car, that would help. But it doesn't address the added weight on a car used in competition.

[steve-d]

For true racing cars, they have to be disabled. Period.

I don't know of any exceptions. Are there any? To my knowledge, it's for the protection of workers w/their heads in the cockpit helping a driver. An explosion at that point would be the worst.

For a street car that also sees duty as a HPDE car or track day car, well the bags can be disabled for the specific event. They really don't weigh that much. Three or so pounds for a street/HPDE car isn't much at all.

Steve