On my local radio station, one of the national windscreen firms is running an ad that includes the statement "if you have a cracked windscreen, in some accidents, your airbags may not work properly".
I just about understand the logic that a cracked windscreen won't provide the same level of strength in itself in an accident but how does it affect the airbag?
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Perhaps their theory is that a cracked windscreen might cut the airbag and it might deflate prematurely. I'm not saying I agree that this is likely.
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L\'escargot.
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I saw this and assumed they meant it was a backing for those airbags that pop out from the top of the windscreen pillars, maybe they need the screen as a 'backboard'?
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Perhaps due to the crack and hence lack of rigidity in the car body, the "G's" dont get to the devices that measure them and hence fire the airbag?
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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I saw this and assumed they meant it was a backing for those airbags that pop out from the top of the windscreen pillars, maybe they need the screen as a 'backboard'?
This is what I was told by a mate of mine who works for Pilkington's. Apparently not wearing a seatbelt in a modern car is actually more dangerous in this respect than in a non-airbag equipped car, because the windscreen will not give way when your head hits it. The airbag(s), windscreen, and seatbelt are designed to work together.
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That is correct baskerville and the reason i try to explain to the cruisers i know that it is bad practise to "cruise" without their seat belts on,some listen some dont .
I suppose not a lot of us on here are aware that if you are in your car with all windows shut and you have an accident that deploys the airbags then the amount of air that is displaced in the cabin on detonation can bust your eardrums.(thought for the day? )
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I suppose not a lot of us on here are aware that if you are in your car with all windows shut and you have an accident that deploys the airbags then the amount of air that is displaced in the cabin on detonation can bust your eardrums.(thought for the day? )
Having been in a car with all windows closed where 5 airbags deployed I can say it does not bust your eardrums.. I do have lingering hearing problem afterwards but that is due to the proximity of the side curtain airbag to my right ear. The eardrum is certainly not bust tho.
I can testify that if your hands are at the correct "10-2" position you will get quite bad burns up your inner forearms from the hot gasses. If you have anything int he way of the bag (like a hand) you will punch yourself in the nose when it deploys.
The reason for the use of seatbelts is due to the low volume of the modern airbags. It would'nt stop an unrestrained body from hitting anything because it is too small, but acts as a final "bump stop" to a restrained body, hauled tightly back into the seat by the pre tensioners (which by the way will bruise you quite badly)
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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sorry TVM you were lucky and must be thick skinned
burst eardrums is well documented
some cars that have had the bags go off have actually blown the tops of doors out to relieve the pressure (like a small hiroshima)
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Unlikely with modern cars OM, the volume of the bags is actually quite small and they deploy in stages.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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In some cars the windscreen is used as a "back stop" (for want of a better word) as in, the airbag deploys from the top of the dash and fills the space between the dash and the screen. If the screen is not fitted correctly then the airbag can push the screen out during deployment.
If the screen is cracked, then reasearch has shown that during the deployment of an airbag the interlayer of the screen is more likely to split, than if the screen was undamaged. If the interlayer does split then the airbag may not deploy to the correct shape.
Hope that makes sense.
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