Airbags are a critical safety feature in modern vehicles, designed to protect drivers and passengers during significant collisions. When these airbags deploy, it’s a clear sign of a substantial impact. A common question that arises after such an event is whether the car is automatically considered totaled and, more importantly, if it’s still legal and safe to drive.
It’s understandable to assume that airbag deployment signifies irreparable damage. However, determining if your car is totaled and whether you can drive it afterwards involves several factors beyond just airbag deployment. Let’s delve into what happens when airbags deploy and what it means for your vehicle.
Understanding Airbag Deployment
Modern airbag systems are sophisticated, utilizing sensors to detect the force and type of impact. Legally mandated in the US since 1998 for driver and front passenger in all new passenger vehicles and light trucks, and often supplemented with side, rear, and knee airbags, they are designed to activate in crashes of significant severity.
How Airbags Work and When They Activate
Airbags are not triggered by every bump or minor fender-bender. They are engineered to deploy when sensors detect rapid deceleration indicative of a serious collision. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), front airbags typically deploy in head-on collisions against a rigid barrier at speeds of 10-12 mph for unbelted occupants, or around 16 mph for those wearing seatbelts. Side airbags, designed for side impacts, can deploy at impact speeds between 8 and 18 mph, depending on the intensity and location of the collision. The threshold for deployment can also depend on the object hit; narrower objects tend to trigger deployment at lower speeds due to concentrated impact force.
Severity of Impact and Airbag Deployment
The deployment of airbags indicates that the vehicle has experienced a considerable impact. However, it doesn’t automatically mean the car is beyond repair. While airbag deployment is a serious event, the overall damage to the vehicle determines whether it will be declared a total loss.
Is Your Car Totaled After Airbag Deployment?
The key factor in determining if a car is totaled is not solely the deployment of airbags, but rather the overall cost of repairs compared to the car’s market value. An insurance company typically declares a vehicle a total loss when the repair costs exceed a certain percentage of the car’s value, known as the “total loss threshold.”
Total Loss Threshold Explained
This threshold varies by state. For instance, using Wisconsin as an example, a car is considered totaled if the repair costs are more than 70% of its fair market value. If your car was valued at $8,500 before an accident, and the estimated repairs, including airbag replacement and bodywork, are over $5,950, it could be declared a total loss. To get an accurate estimate, it’s crucial to get a repair quote from a reputable auto body shop. These quotes will consider all necessary repairs to bring the vehicle back to a safe and presentable condition.
Airbag Replacement Costs and Total Damage
Airbags are single-use safety devices. Once deployed, they must be replaced to restore the vehicle’s safety system. This replacement is not optional; it’s a necessary part of the repair process. Furthermore, in some places like Wisconsin, laws explicitly prohibit the reuse or re-installation of deployed airbags, emphasizing the need for new replacements.
The cost to replace airbags can significantly contribute to the total repair bill. Replacing a single airbag module can range from $650 to $750 on average. If multiple airbags have deployed, the total replacement costs can escalate quickly, increasing the likelihood that the vehicle will be considered a total loss when combined with other collision damage repairs.
The Legality and Safety of Driving Post-Airbag Deployment
Even though airbag deployment signals a significant event, the law doesn’t automatically prohibit driving the vehicle afterwards. This leads to the important question: Can you legally and safely drive a car after the airbags have deployed?
Legal Aspects: Can You Drive Without Replaced Airbags?
Legally, in most jurisdictions within the United States, there are no federal or state laws that explicitly prevent you from driving a car with deployed airbags that have not been replaced. While airbags are mandated in new vehicles, there’s no legal mandate to have them functioning in a vehicle you already own to operate it legally.
Safety Concerns: Risks of Driving with Deployed Airbags
However, just because it might be legal, driving without functional airbags is highly unsafe. Airbags have proven to be life-saving devices. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) credits airbags with saving over 50,000 lives between 1987 and 2017. More recent data from 2017 estimates that airbags saved approximately 2,790 lives that year alone, reducing fatality risks in frontal crashes by 11-14%.
Driving without airbags means forfeiting a critical layer of safety protection. In the event of a future collision, the risk of serious injury or fatality is significantly increased. While you might be legally permitted to drive, it is strongly inadvisable to operate a vehicle with deployed airbags that have not been replaced due to the increased safety risks.
Conclusion
In conclusion, airbag deployment does not automatically mean your car is totaled. The determination depends on a comparison of repair costs against your car’s market value, guided by state-specific total loss thresholds. While it might be legally permissible to drive a car with deployed airbags, it is extremely dangerous and not recommended. For your safety and the safety of others, if your airbags have deployed, have your vehicle assessed by a professional, get repair estimates, and make informed decisions about repair and airbag replacement.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident where airbags deployed, it’s wise to consult with professionals to understand your options, including legal advice and insurance claims. Seeking guidance can help you navigate the aftermath of an accident and ensure you are safe and properly compensated.
