Failure Of Front Airbag Deployment At 80mph Impact

[GeldeFsman]

My son was killed while driving his mothers 2003 BMW 325 CI Coup.Rural road, late at nifgr, dry, dark conditions. He appears to possibly dosed off and drifted to the right hand shoulder. Upon awaking, he overcorrects and the car shoots to the opposite side of the road, down an embankment, flips end over end and lands back on it's wheels. No other cards involved. No other injuries. Speed was estimated at 80mph. Upon inspection of the wrecjkage I couldn't help but notice that none of the front air bags had deployed. Only the side curtains. Since my son was not wearing his seatbelt, he was ejected thought the sunroof and killed instantly. I don't know that front airbags would have saved him, but I am very curious as to why they didn't deploy.

Thank You,

Fred

[Owyn]

Front airbags deploy when there is an impact that is detected by the sensors in the front of the vehicle.  A minor or slow speed collision should not deploy the bags, but a major frontal collision should.  It is possible that the drive off of the embankment and flipping did not trigger the sensor if there was not major frontal damage to the vehicle.

However, the most likely explanation is that the front airbag was suppressed because the seatbelt was not in use. This is part of "smart" airbag technology.  If one does not have his seatbelt on, a frontal collision propels the occupant forward(at the same speed as the car before the collision) and then the airbag deploys in his face, with severe injury or death the likely result.  So, the smart airbag suppresses the front seat airbags and won't deploy if the seatbelt is not buckled.  

I don't know if that system was in place on the 2003 BMW involved in your son's crash, but if it was, that is probably why the front airbags did not deploy.

It may be a good idea to consult with some crashworthiness lawyers about this collision.  You must have the car in order for there to be more than a cursory discussion of what might have happened, so get control of the wreck to prevent it from being sold or crushed.

I am sorry for your loss.

Albert Hollan

Houston, TX

www.carwrecks.com