secondary impact with no airbag deployment

[donedeal]

A vehicle was hit on the drivers side rear quarter panel, activating side impact airbags on the drivers side. The vehicle then struck a tree head on @ approx 40 mph with no airbag deployment from the steering wheel. Is this by design for some reason or a malfunction of the airbag?

Also- in cases like this always have FD disengage the airbag mechanism before you assess the patient so you dont take a 220mph shot to the head while assessing.

[NYCEMS9115]

It should still deploy. Malfunction. What type of vehicle? Thanks.

[akflightmedic]

Something like this?

[crotchitymedic1986]

Airbag deployment is not guaranteed as it depends on whether the airbag sensors are engaged. Depending on the location of the sensors, and the area of impact, it is entirely possible that airbags would not deploy, even in a serious crash. I would also seriously doubt that the secondary collision was at 40mph, unless the vehicle was going in excess of 70 or 80 mph before the first collision.

[NYCEMS9115]

http://www.aa1car.com/library/airbag01.htm

[HERBIE1]

Something like this?

Just one of the many dangers associated with such incidents. Of the countless crashes I've dealt with, I have never seen an inadvertent airbag deployment, but that is not to say they do not happen. This video is proof of that. As the narrator said, it could have been a short, an accidental trip by cutting a wire, a malfunction- who knows?

In a serious crash, clearly the first step needs to be disconnecting the battery, all the while remaining vigilant of the possibility this could happen. .