I'm glad that someone who has some quality information on this subject. It will help to dispel some of the bizarre rumors that circulate about airbags. THey aren't a black box that mysteriously decides to detonate at any given time. They don't get dust in them. They don't deploy in "tiny" collisions. I don't know how these things get started, but some of them border on urban myths.

Gimmicks they are not. They save lives, pure and simple. They aren't standalone units -- they depend on the functionality of the seat belt to achieve the maximum result from their designed function.

This is like the infamous, re-hashed discussion on antilock brakes. There is always some kook in the crowd, who says "I can out-brake an ABS-equipped car".

That's great, on a flat, clean, dry track surface, where they are in a scientific setting. No cars around, no people, no traffic, no obstructions.

But then, there is the real world.

Throw leaves on the ground, or some gravel, or oil, water, uneven pavement, or anything else that you'll find on any road, and suddenly everything changes. Suddenly it is useful to have ONE wheel's brakes pumping, while the rest of them hook up normally. Suddenly it is good to have the functionality, and the fall-back of being able to punch the brake pedal and concentrate on steering, without having to worry that you have to start modulating the brakes to avoid a skid or a spin. That is a very practical feature, and one that people count on. I had 2 ABS stops within 1.6 miles that I traveled this evening between boat and house. Pathetic, but the system comes in very handy, and it did, in fact, keep me from getting very badly hurt, and likely killed, by a tank truck that overturned from the oncoming side of the interstate, rolled on it's side, and slid into oncoming lanes, with me being the first and closest vehicle in it's path. I was able to avoid it with a full ABS stop--full pedal--with severe steering maneuvers thrown in. There was a lot of room left before the car lost control, too. It was nice to know that option was there, instead of having to worry about controlling all those things.

Anyway, thank you again for that excellent post.
--
Chris Herbst, near Chicago.