German Car Zone

Impact happenedon about 120Kmph, And my dad told me he dropped 2 aroun 20-30kmph without touching brakes , as the accident was in an instant, my dad neva saw it coming.....

In fact, it is AFAIK not rare for an Airbag not to deploy in a crash at a relatively low speed that happens really offset and at an angle, against something that is neither moving nor as hard as a wall.

Because it's only a part of the car that crashes, the rest of the car isn't slowed hard enough to make the Airbag deploy, especially if the cow also was propulsed by the schock unlike a fixed wall or tree. So I would say, maybe it's normal the Airbag did not deploy in your case; and the most important is that your parents are safe!

However, if the pillar was bent inwards, it indicatres the shock was quite heavy. However, if the door and the side were scratched, it also could indicate that the shock was at a big angle, outside of the Airbag's 30°, even if a part of the car was destroyed.

Remember that modern cars are conceived so as to make the whole front of the car to absorb energy (thus, to look destroyed) even if only a small part of the front was hitted. You have a big piece of metal that distributes the energy to the whole front of the car, even if only a corner is hitted, so that much more energy is absorbed.

IMO, the angle was too important. It looks like an offset and angle crash.

Thanks Martin, Im in 2 minds now...i am disapoiunted that the airbags didnt deploy coz it caused some shrapnel fromthe windscreen 2 hit my parents in the face, light bruising, but im also sooo happy as they got out of it alive and in 1 piece, i am feeling guilty putting Volvo on the spot, as i have neva seen a vehicle take a Cow head on and survive in such a good condition...

But wat if there was a glitch and the airbag neva came on coz of a Factory Problem..??? What then..??



Thanx for all the replies so far, this is truly the best Forum for discussion and advice...

You're right Martin and I've thought about that as well. Since his parent didn't sustain any injuries do demonstrate that the airbags weren't really needed. Airbags can be quite dangerous if they slap you in the face when you're unprepared.

For this reason I can tell you now that the impact was not severe ENOUGH to necessitate the deployment of the airbags. The LAST thing you want is an airbag going off at 90 km/h. How on earth will you be able to retain control of the car if your hands just got blasted off the steering wheel.

Seriously, read my and raoul's previous posts. Your parent's Volvo performed admirably!

Volvo make exceptionally safe cars to this day...

Even if the crash was in the front,But on the Right hand side..? (Directly in front of the driver..)..isnt it dangerous? what if part of the animal flew in2 the cabin..? or if the steering wheel flew backwards..etc....

The airbag is not designed to protect occupants from a shattering windshield - the windshield itself is designed to do that (safety glass - no long, sharp edges).

The chances of a glitch in the airbag system resulting in non-deployment are extremely low. If needed to, they will deploy 99.9% of the time. People have this unrealistic expectation as to how and when an airbag will deploy. An airbag is a Supplementary Restraint System and is designed to work in conjunction with all of the safety features, including seatbelts (!), in an automobile. Airbag deployment is violent and traumatic event, and if deployed under the wrong circumstances (such as this one) potentially life-threatening!

This is right, if the car wasn't completely stopped by the schock it is that the bull absorbed a lot of energy. It was moved away, and thus absorbed a lot of energy, so the car did not take all the shock like in a crash against a wall.

I'm with Martin, the shock was spectacular but not hard enough to make an Airbag deploy.

I've never heard of an Airbag deployment in a car that wasn't stopped by the crash. A really big crash makes it stop instantly.

Howdo the Airbags Deploy, do they each have a senor? Or do they work in conjunction 2getha..? What abt the Side or Curtain Bags, Coz the Side pillar was heavily bent inwards, as it prob took the most powerful impact...

First and foremost, the front bumper and bonnet are designed to lift and deflect inbound pedestrians or animals over and away from the windshield area. To protect both the pedestrian and / or the passengers. If the animal, for whatever reason, did penetrate the passenger compartment then no airbag exploding toward the driver would've made a difference.

Interestingly the steering column in a severe frontal impact is designed mechanically to pull the steering wheel away from the driver.

The airbag is designed to cushion or slow the impact of the driver moving rapidly forward in the event of a severe frontal collision.