Car accidents are one of the leading and preventable causes of death and severe injury in the nation. With the increased number of drivers on the road on any given day of the week, vehicle safety has progressively become more of an issue to the driving masses and to the giants in the auto industry. This is good for the future of automotive safety because it has become part of the competitive market; however, becoming an informed consumer is important in being sure the safety features on the car are efficient. Vehicles that are “safer” generally include more airbags, however, the placement of the airbags is crucial—the placement could lead to further injury.

Vehicles without airbag causes more injuries

Depending on the positioning and efficacy of airbag deployment, a car may not necessarily be any safer than a car with fewer airbags. In fact, some airbags are known to cause further injury to the passengers or driver that otherwise may not have occurred. However, in some instances, injuries from an airbag can be far less devastating than an absence of airbags in the same car collision. In any case, a car’s level of safety is determined by the design of the features included in the vehicle that are directly aimed at preventing death or lessening passenger injuries.

Knee airbags actively protect the legs

Among the various types of airbags included in newer models of vehicles are front airbags, side airbags, airbag-deploying seatbelts, and knee airbags. Of the more recent developments in safety technology, knee airbags were invented to deploy below the dashboard on both the driver’s and passengers sides in order to prevent injury to one’s legs and knees. It is common in vehicle collisions for a passenger or driver to have their leg caught between the dashboard and the seat—this can cause severe injury and even lead to amputation or paralysis. The kneecap is a delicate area that is best preserved in a car accident when there is a soft barrier between the driver’s knee and the hardness of the dashboard material.

It’s vital for people having bad knees

Unthought-of before, the knees have been a vulnerable location for injury in vehicle crashes especially for people who have bad knees or who have you knee replacement surgeries. Expensive surgeries such as knee-replacements are especially delicate. Re-injuring one’s knee is less than ideal after spending extensive money on the procedure and time recovering. In collisions where speeds reach more dangerous levels, one of the most common injuries is a shattered kneecap. Not only is this injury incredibly painful, it can lead to serious problems in the future and huge hospital bills. While it is possible for such airbags to cause injury, it is likely that they will prevent a more severe injury from occurring.

Choosing a safe a car is essential

It seems like only yesterday when vehicles came equipped with nothing more than a simple lap belt—and before that, cars did not include any sort of safety feature. In today’s modern world, it is commonplace to find vehicles with various safety mechanisms. The first place to start is to find a vehicle within your price range that includes airbags in several locations within the car, and has an excellent safety rating. Searching for a vehicle that has excellent crash-test rates as well as a sufficient number of airbags is critical when choosing the right car for yourself, or even more importantly, for your family. Safety is one of the biggest criteria from consumers who are looking for the best family car. While entering a vehicle becomes an immediate safety risk due to the amount of collisions each year, ensuring that your car is equipped with adequate and proper safety precautions can lessen that risk.

Wrap up

All types of airbags are important to the safety of the people in the vehicle; however, the airbag for the driver’s knee is especially critical. Because the driver’s legs and feet are likely in a different position, and tend to be closer to the front of the vehicle than the passenger, protecting the driver’s legs is especially important. Driver’s knee airbags are an essential feature of a car with a high safety rating because they protect the lower extremity of the individual. Imagine being out of work due to a leg injury—one’s mobility is seriously limited without the use of their legs.