Your Seat Belt May Be The Number One Safety Feature In Your Automobile. However, Without A Properly Functioning Airbag, It Is Often Not Enough
As an experienced auto defect and car accident lawyer for decades, I was a person who went from almost never wearing a seat belt to always wearing a seat belt. l now always make sure that my airbags are properly operating without the sensor turned to an off position. It is well recognized that seat belts are the number one safety feature in vehicles but without supplementation of a properly operating airbag it may not be enough to avoid a catastrophic injury or wrongful death in a collision. Many vehicles have an acronym SRS on the steering wheel or dashboard which translated is a short cut for “supplemental restraint system". What this means is that airbags supplement seat belts. Trust me, I have investigated the most horrific accidents and tragedies that are seemingly beyond imagination which were caused by the failure to wear a seat belt or the failure of the seat belt, airbag, or SRS systems.
Most modern vehicles contain multiple airbags in various locations which are designed to inflate if an occupant is correctly restrained with a seat belt. There are various systems used in airbag and SRS designs and often due to manufacturing and design defects or sensor defects, the SRS system does not operate properly. Many systems have a light indicator on the dashboard which will stay lit or blink off and on if there is a noted problem or defect with the airbag or SRS system. If you notice this light, immediately take your car to the dealership as an improper airbag or SRS system can lead to catastrophic injury or death in an accident situation.
Recently the United States government and major automobile manufacturers have issued many recalls and have taken more stringent steps to improve driver and occupant safety in rollover and side and frontal impact crashes. Every year tens of thousands of deaths and catastrophic injuries will occur as a result of SRS system failures or defects. The car accident, airbag defect, and SUV rollover attorneys of Reiff & Bily salute the efforts of NHTSA and automobile manufacturers to make safer automobiles.
If you or a loved one has been involved in a car accident or rollover accident or caused by the failure of an SRS or airbag defect, please feel free to contact one of our experienced Philadelphia car accident and airbag defect lawyers for a free, no obligation consultation toll free at 1-800-588-0130 or online at www.beasleyreifflawgroup.com.
