Federal requirements for the use of air bags in automobiles have been the source of much political and scientific debate for more than 30 years. Recent reports of five known fatalities due to catastrophic airbag failures is the latest controversy to affect a mainstay feature in the constellation of onboard safety systems.
The gory details of these airbag failures ignited a news-media frenzy and federal government intervention. In these fatalities, the airbag safety system's pyrotechnic inflator detonated so violently that the explosive's metal container actually ruptured and shot metal shards toward the vehicle occupant. However, these five known incidents attracted much more attention than the larger number of deaths and injuries that are attributable to air bags that function properly.
The case for widespread airbag use derives from utilitarianism's notion of the "common good"—roughly, "the greatest good for the greatest number." Statistics show that airbags, especially when coupled with seatbelt use, protect significantly more people than they harm. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates the combination of seatbelts and airbags reduces the risk of death by 61% in frontal crashes compared to a 50% risk reduction with seatbelts alone.
Want to continue reading?
Become a Free PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader
Your access to unlimited PropertyCasualty360 content isn’t changing.
Once you are an ALM digital member, you’ll receive:
- All PropertyCasualty360.com news coverage, best practices, and in-depth analysis.
- Educational webcasts, resources from industry leaders, and informative newsletters.
- Other award-winning websites including BenefitsPRO.com and ThinkAdvisor.com.
Already have an account? Sign In
© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
