Airbags

**mbeige** · October 9th, 2007 04:55 PM

Risk assessment is another matter. Realistically you can't really tell what's going to happen during your daily commute so we cannot really predict how safe or how dangerous our cars can get. I feel safe generally, but when things go wrong sometimes it really goes wrong.

We all take risks whatever we do. Those who aren't willing to pay more for safety will probably regret it. I hope they will never experience it, as do I hope we will never experience anything we fear.

When buying a car though, you cannot really opt to have reinforced crash structures. It basically comes with the car. So if you want a compact car, you have to deal with its crumple zones and crashworthiness rather than try to modify it to your liking. If you want better crumple zones, or other safety features, get a larger, more equipped vehicle with better safety features than the one you originally laid your eyes on.

I'm not one to say that not everybody should own a car but look at what Singapore did, or look at how other countries mandate safety features. In other countries, if the car does not come with airbags or ABS, or other safety features, it will not be sold - period. In those countries the car manufacturers and/or the government probably do not want to be held responsible for selling you a car with no airbags, and then realize thereafter that you got into a fatal accident that could have been averted with the use of airbags and the like. Who is to blame now? So if the car manufacturer or its dealers give customers the freedom to buy a car with no airbags or other safety features for that matter, at least they should understand the risks and that these risks should be made known to the customers. Usually when you just want a base model they will not stress the importance of the added safety features. Another problem is that not everybody understands the risks they take, which goes back to my original statement: risk management is another matter.

In hindsight, however, I think the reason why airbags are not usually mandated there is because a lot of the driving is done in cities and city speeds. While airbags supplement the seatbelts, often times the seatbelts are sufficient enough to restrain the passengers in these low speed impacts. If you took this issue to Germany where the ultimate highways exist in the form of the Autobahn, then I guess airbags are mandatory because one, people can afford them and two, the high speed driving necessitates the use of airbags.

I guess for me seatbelts and crumple zones are sufficient enough for city driving. However, airbags are good to have as a just-in-case basis. If you needed it, at least it was there. If not, at least you still have peace of mind it's there. The reason is that airbags only deploy at certain types of impacts. Pole impacts usually do not trigger the airbags so the crumple zones and the engine itself simply absorb the impact forces. Airbags also only go off at certain speeds because at lower speeds, the seatbelts are enough and/or the impacts won't be as severe at those lower speeds anyway. Finally, airbags work in conjunction with seatbelts to restrain you and prevent your head from sustaining injuries. As with security features like car alarms, keyless entry, etc these safety systems also overlap each other and provide a layer of safety over you. If one fails to do its job, the other should perform well so as to prevent any harm from befalling you. Otherwise, what's the use of safety systems if they don't work in tandem with each other?

**tidus1203** · February 18th, 2008 11:24 AM

This is strictly my opinion. I think airbags in Philippine driving conditions (especially if you only drive within Metro Manila, given our slow speed and stop and go nature) are not worth the price of admission. IMO a good sturdy seatbelt will do the trick and of course a good body structure for the car. If its standard then good but if I have to pay P50K for it never mind.....

**boybi** · February 18th, 2008 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by tidus1203

This is strictly my opinion. I think airbags in Philippine driving conditions (especially if you only drive within Metro Manila, given our slow speed and stop and go nature) are not worth the price of admission. IMO a good sturdy seatbelt will do the trick and of course a good body structure for the car. If its standard then good but if I have to pay P50K for it never mind.....

That is if you will only be driving your car within the secondary streets of Metro Manila. But if you'll use it in the major thoroughfares like EDSA, Roxas Blvd., C5, or SSHW, where you reach speeds above 80kph in non-peak hours, do you think your life isn't worth the extra P50K?

**tidus1203** · February 18th, 2008 12:27 PM

I just answered on my previous post and I stand by it. I am not forcing anyone to position on my beliefs.

**super_coffee** · February 18th, 2008 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by tidus1203

I just answered on my previous post and I stand by it. I am not forcing anyone to position on my beliefs.

ika nga, SRS airbags are important from different POV.. para sakin, important feature xa.. making it optional makes sense naman.. still nothing beats a disciplined and alert driver..

**tidus1203** · February 18th, 2008 06:14 PM

To each his own. All my cars have no Airbags except for my Accord I really never felt that I needed it. Yes people will say itataya mo ba P50K for your life? But its just risk-reward and I feel the costs are not worth the price given airbags are for frontal impacts and on frontal impacts its almost always going to be your fault. If you're a true defensive driver (I try to be one) and keep 2 seconds between you and the car at front then the risks are already significantly reduced.

But speaking of airbags mas feel ko pa nga importance ng side airbags than frontal ones....

**pup2** · February 18th, 2008 06:47 PM

Ako, ang gusto ko may full 6 airbags at NO COST!Ang mahal na nga ng car dito kumpara sa US of A tatanggalan pa nila ng features just because of GREED.

**AG4** · February 18th, 2008 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by pup2

Ako, ang gusto ko may full 6 airbags at NO COST!Ang mahal na nga ng car dito kumpara sa US of A tatanggalan pa nila ng features just because of GREED.

In the RP looks are more important, so car companies(usually Korean and Japanese brands) respond to this way of thinking by adding some bling and deleting some safety features.

Look at the local Civic for example, the base 1.8V has standard alloy wheels, but has no airbags.
In the US the base Civic has steel wheels with full covers, but it comes standard with airbags.

Originally Posted by tidus1203

To each his own. All my cars have no Airbags except for my Accord I really never felt that I needed it. Yes people will say itataya mo ba P50K for your life? But its just risk-reward and I feel the costs are not worth the price given airbags are for frontal impacts and on frontal impacts its almost always going to be your fault. If you're a true defensive driver (I try to be one) and keep 2 seconds between you and the car at front then the risks are already significantly reduced.

No matter how careful you drive, you cannot control the other drivers around you.

Here's an example: A drunk/sleepy driver loses control of his car at 70km/h and swerves infront of your car from the opposite direction, even a true defensive driver will not be able to avoid this.

Thousands of defensive drivers have been victims of accidents caused by other drivers.

**1D4LV** · February 19th, 2008 10:35 AM

yes, i would agree. even though rolling it out is quite expensive in part of the manufacturers, it should be a standard because of safety aspects.

**mbeige** · February 19th, 2008 03:45 PM

Tidus, I hope the day won't come that you'll be milliseconds away from a fatal life changing event that you won't regret for the rest of your life.

Air bags are good to have, that's why they're SRS - supplementary restraint systems - to aid in providing safety to the driver on top of the seatbelts, crumple zones, ABS brakes, etc. Seatbelts are fine in slow traffic, but if you take to the high speeds, or if somebody is wreckless and slams into you head-on, you'll realize you're not always in control, and that's where airbags come in.

Just imagine, you're driving 40kph and it's a pretty slow speed. The other car driving on the opposite lane veers into yours at the same speed - 40kph. The speed at impact is obviously doubled, 80kph, which merits airbag usage. If you don't have one you'll probably hit the steering wheel if the belts don't restrain you enough, or worse you'll hit the windshield despite being belted.