29 Aug What Happens If a Collision Activates Your Airbags?
Airbags are a key safety feature in modern vehicles, but they do not deploy in every car accident. In most minor collisions, the airbags are not likely to go off, but if they do it is important to visit a local collision center in Tucson to assess the damage to your vehicle and replace them. Continue reading for a closer look at what happens when your airbags are deployed and why proper collision repair is essential.
How Airbags Work
Airbags are designed to protect drivers and passengers in severe collisions. They can cushion the head and chest from impact with the dashboard, steering wheel, windows, and other hard surfaces.
Modern vehicles are equipped with several different types of airbags: front airbags in the steering wheel and dashboard, side airbags in the sides of the front seats, and curtain airbags in the roof of the vehicle that cover the side windows of the vehicle in rollovers and side collisions. Each type of airbag is connected to sensors that detect where the vehicle is hit and how fast your vehicle was traveling at the time of the collision.
When Airbags Are Deployed
The severity and type of collision you’re in will determine whether the airbags are deployed. Generally, airbags will typically be activated if you hit something head-on at speeds over 10-12 miles per hour. Impacts to the side of your vehicle, like T-bone and sideswipe collisions, are also likely to activate the side and curtain airbags.
Repairing Your Car After Airbags Are Activated
Once your airbags have been activated, you should not drive your vehicle. Have it towed to a collision center for auto body repair. Airbags cannot simply be reset after they have been deployed. They need to be fully replaced, and sensors may need to be recalibrated.
It is a common misconception that airbag deployment will mean that a vehicle is a total loss. However, this is not necessarily the case. Airbag replacement will add to the total costs of your vehicle repairs, but your vehicle will only be considered totaled if the total cost of repairs exceeds the total loss threshold determined by your insurance policy.
Why You Still Need Collision Repair Even If Airbags Did Not Deploy
You might think that if your airbags do not go off and there’s no extensive visible damage to your vehicle, you don’t need repairs. However, collisions can cause underlying structural damage that isn’t obvious until you take your vehicle to a collision repair center. Additionally, there may be situations in which the collision was severe enough for the airbags to deploy, but an error in the electronic sensor system prevented this from occurring.
If you have been involved in any type of auto accident in Tucson, count on National Auto Collision Centers for major and minor collision repair services. We have been Tucson’s trusted auto body repair shop for more than 20 years, and we have three convenient locations ready to help you get your vehicle back to pre-accident condition. Contact us today to get started with your collision repair.