Today, every car on the market comes with airbags. They’re a mandatory requirement for new automobiles in the US market and have been since September 1st, 1998. But they’re not mandatory for you!
That is, you don’t need to have airbags in your own car. It’s perfectly legal to drive around in a car without them. This is obvious, given that many vehicles built prior to 1998 are still on the roads.
My question for you is this—are airbags something you consider mandatory, like seatbelts or breathable oxygen? Or are you happy to go without them?
I know a great many people that are perfectly happy to ride around in old cars without airbags. Indeed, most of the vehicles I’ve owned never had them. It wasn’t until 2012, when I bought a 1999 Ford Falcon, that I regularly drove around in a vehicle with airbags.
However, this question isn’t as simple as it might immediately appear. Most of us wouldn’t hesitate to ride in a friend’s classic car that never had airbags in its life. But what about a modern car with no airbags fitted? Or airbags that were non-operational?
I feel confident in saying that most of us dig older cars. We wouldn’t freak out if our pals pulled up in a 1972 Chevy Malibu or a 1989 Oldsmobile Toronado. We’d think that was damn cool. We wouldn’t freak out that it was too dangerous because it lacked airbags.
In contrast, if you got in an Uber with the airbag light glowing in the dash, would you do a second take? Would you get out and wait for another, or would you pay it no mind?
I think for a lot of people, the idea of a malfunctioning or non-operable airbag is scarier than a car that had none at all. Back in the day, airbags had a bad rap for taking more lives than they saved. That’s absolutely no longer the case, but it’s easy to get wary around these quite literally explosive safety devices. Recent debacles like the Takata scandal have done nothing to ease community concerns.
So I ask in the fullness of the question—would you drive a car with no airbags, modern or classic? Or do you demand that the safety equipment is fully operational before you head out on the road?
Top image: Alfa Romeo
Story images: Renault, Lewin Day
While it may be the chaotic nature of luck and the cosmos, all of my accidents have been with seatbelt on.
Seatbelt has been enough.
All I ever get from airbags is burns on my arms and that powder/propellant in my eyes, nose, and mouth.
I second Mrbrown89 in that I would also not have one than have one that will malfunction.
The fear and risk of airbag malfunction and injury has been vastly overstated. Airbags are vastly more likely to save your life than to cause a problem.
Front airbags reduce driver fatalities in frontal crashes by 29% and fatalities of front-seat passengers age 13 and older by 32% (1)Side airbags that protect the head reduce a car driver’s risk of death in driver-side crashes by 37% and an SUV driver’s risk by 52% (2)Takata Air Bag injury rate: 0.000597% (400 out of 67million) (3)Takata Air Bag fatality rate: 0.000027% (18 out of 67 million) (3)Air Bag rates may be pushed even closer to 0 by getting the recall work done. The failure/recall is talked about as a big deal because it is a preventable failure, and 18 deaths is a big deal, but not statistically likely.(1) https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812069.pdf
(2) https://www.iihs.org/topics/bibliography/ref/1858
(3) https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/state_of_takata_air_bag_recalls_fourth_report.pdf
Why are you replying to me with this? The only possible reason is the last line, I guess.
So, let me clarify:
In the case of Shroedinger’s airbag, I would prefer to throw the box away.
Also, who ‘vastly overstated’? As a pointer, using ‘vastly’, ‘greatly’, and other words that are not numeric tend to lend themselves to rhetoric, not discussion.
I didn’t mean to make you upset by challenging your belief system. You are still free to look at the statistics, and to make whatever decision you want.
You made several comments that seemed to be based on some assumptions of likelihood, around which I had previously looked up relevant data, and it seemed helpful to share.
1) Previously for you, seatbelts had been enough. That is a fact, but it says nothing about future accidents. i.e. past performance does not guarantee future results. Statistics based on large numbers of accidents/vehicles/airbags however, can be helpful to understand future probabilities.
2) That you would rather not have one, than one that will malfunction. Which implies some degree of parity between the benefit vs the risk. In this case “prefer to throw the box away” says that you would rather be 29% more likely to die in the accident, than to deal with the 0.000027% chance of dying from the airbag. You are of course free to make that decision.
Despite your criticism that I used qualitative adjectives, surely you saw that I also provided numerous data points and citations? You are correct that qualitative adjectives without data are useless, however, I provided data.
“I didn’t mean to make you upset by challenging your belief system.”
I am not upset. You did not ‘challenge <my> belief system’.
“…seemed to be based on some assumptions ….”
So you went full ham with what you’ve looked up? Cool.
“Which implies some degree of parity….”
Making at least two conclusion jumps today. Strong.
Pointers are not criticisms.
You still haven’t mentioned who ‘vastly overstated’.
Look, I get it; the internet gives you a chance to feel superior. And when you can dig into big logic and great words? Man, what a feeling! It really never covers up that you are a troll seeking validation. So, if that is what you want, here you go:
You win the internet. I award you 10,000 internet points for your crushing logic that no one asked for and was insulting. I grant you a magical power for one night only: When you walk into a bar, every woman will not instinctively cover their drink.
Congratulations, good sir! You are A+
I stand by my comments, and by bringing factual data into a discussion. I have no problem with how my comments reflect on my personality.
You’re comments and personal attacks say a lot about your personality as well.
Have a great day.
Thanks to Takata I have concerns about airbags in older vehicles since they may not got the recall done. I would rather have no airbag than a malfunctioning one. Everything I have has airbags except my Beetle and I don’t even get it into the highway because of that, just occasional driving.
The fear and risk of airbag malfunction and injury has been vastly overstated. Airbags are vastly more likely to save your life than to cause a problem.
Front airbags reduce driver fatalities in frontal crashes by 29% and fatalities of front-seat passengers age 13 and older by 32% (1)Side airbags that protect the head reduce a car driver’s risk of death in driver-side crashes by 37% and an SUV driver’s risk by 52% (2)Takata Air Bag injury rate: 0.000597% (400 out of 67million) (3)Takata Air Bag fatality rate: 0.000027% (18 out of 67 million) (3)Air Bag rates may be pushed even closer to 0 by getting the recall work done. The failure/recall is talked about as a big deal because it is a preventable failure, and 18 deaths is a big deal, but not statistically likely.(1) https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/812069.pdf
(2) https://www.iihs.org/topics/bibliography/ref/1858
(3) https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/state_of_takata_air_bag_recalls_fourth_report.pdf
My ’65 that is a fairweather DD has no airbags, or crumple zones, and only lap belts that I had to add. I also own a motorcycle. So… yes.
For those of us who choose to ride motorcycles, we’ve had to confront the issue head on and in doing so, consider why we ride. And for probably 95% of us (at least in the states…other places may have a different calculus), the answer is we ride b/c it’s fun.
So for me, that reasoning tracks into cars – if the purpose of a given use is fun, then no airbags is okay. But if it’s anything else…
confront the issue head on
I see what you did there
Having an old ’63 Ford, yes. I do it regularly. I also skip the seatbelts because they’re just lap belts. Everything on the inside of the car wants you dead in a wreck. It’s all hard metal, some of it sharp. The steering column will impale me in a collision.
Never for anything longer or faster than an around town cruise in a project/vintage vehicle.
I’ve told the story of my wife’s crash often enough, but safety is no longer a negotiable for me, especially with a family.
Seeing a lot of the comments here so far makes me sad. I sincerely wish that nothing befalls you risk-takers/paranoid folks like befell my wife.
I’d like to see the math on total miles driven in the US VS accidents in which airbags deploy. I have no idea of the number but would bet miles driven per accident is huge.
I would rather have no airbags than 30+ year old airbags.
Guaranteed to have 100% less shrapnel exploding directly into your face from the steering column.
I would no longer daily drive a vehicle that didn’t have airbags. If my daily driver did have an airbag light go off, I would do my best to resolve it immediately, but I am not sure if I would refuse to drive it.
In my pre-airbag car, I only occasionally drive it to work and do my best to not do so during rush hour. Most of that cars trips are designed to be as far away from traffic as possible on back roads and in rural areas or during no-peak times. I’m aware there is always risk, but I do my best to minimize it when possible.
Sure. I’d rather have no airbags than one that could go off at any time.
A collective 0.000624% chance of injury or death from the airbag does not equate to “could go off at any time.” Or rather, statistically, it actually does mean that. But I don’t have the adjectives for how unlikely it really is.
Takata Air Bag injury rate: 0.000597% (400 out of 67million) (3)
Takata Air Bag fatality rate: 0.000027% (18 out of 67 million) (3)
(3) https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/state_of_takata_air_bag_recalls_fourth_report.pdf
Complicated question.
If own a car, I like to know that everything is in working order. So if I own a car that has airbags, I would like to make sure that they are working properly, because otherwise I would think that there may be other underlying issues that could be there I am just ignoring.
However, it is fine for me to drive a car without airbags, or ride in someone else’s car without airbags or with them disabled for whatever reason.
I think on them more as a nice to have. Seatbelts are different, them I will require.
I have a similar perspective on seatbelts. I can’t envision NOT wearing them.
The data on airbag efficacy is fairly mixed, as we all know, but not on seatbelts – they are a gigantic positive. I’m still amazed that in this day and age, there are people won’t wear them (in cars which came with them, I mean).
I believe airbags are useful, but seatbelts saved me before (in a car that didn’t have airbags). So, I know that the situations I am usually involved they should be enough.
Depends on the vehicle. A large boat like an old Town Car would feel a lot safer than a little tin can like a Ford Festiva.
As the owner of a 1932 Chevrolet Confederate I will say that when driving it, you just have to suspend reality and accept that some things are in the hands of a higher arbiter. Just go with the flow and let the chips fall where they may.
fun fact: non-US airbags are smaller and deploy with less force, since they assume the driver is wearing a seat belt.
In the US, they assume the driver isn’t, so they are bigger and deploy with a bigger bang that is actually harmful to many people.
If a person can’t be bothered to fasten their seat belt, they get what’s coming to them. I shouldn’t be punished for their lack of self preservation.
Then I’m not going to tell you about a thing called “insurance” or it will break your heart. We’re all sharing the stupid around here.
Agreed laws for seatbelts, laws for airbags, no laws for helmets. I have to say riding a motorcycle with no safety gear has to be more dangerous than a car with no airbags or not wearing a seat belt.
A rider without a helmet who turns themselves into a watermelon smoothie isn’t just taking themselves out. They cost society real money, and they often cause post traumatic stress in the poor sobs who have to bag them up with a spoon.
It should not be legal to ride without a helmet.
My family depends on my income so for their sake, I try to decrease the chances of me getting destroyed in a collision. All of our cars have airbags. I occasionally am a passenger in a friend’s older cars without them, but at less than highway speeds.
It has never occurred to me to look at the warning lights in an Uber but now I will start doing that!
Danny Trejo (the classic “that guy” actor) made a similar point about why he doesn’t do his own stunts – that if he gets hurt, that means the production may have to stop, get delayed, and he doesn’t see that as fair to everyone else on the team. It’s an interesting counterpoint to guys like Tom Cruise who insist on doing them themselves.
Danny Trejo has big huevos. Big enough he doesn’t have to prove it. He just stays humble
Just when I think I can’t love Danny Trejo anymore …
Tom Cruise is unique that he understands that part of his draw is that he does (most of) his own stunts. The entire production in most of his movies is practically based around it. His movies fill theater seats because of his stunts.
It really depends on the situation. No one really gives a shit if Harry Styles does his own stunts. But everyone cares that Tom Cruise, Jackie Chan and Buster Keaton do/did their own stunts.
From what I understand, Tom Cruise is also an executive producer and contributing to the budget of the MI films. The crew is all total pros who want to work with him; it’s not like he’s stealing stuntman jobs or something. He broke his foot one or two releases back and production halted for 6 months, which must have cost a fortune.
The guy might be a nutjob, but as an old I have immense respect for his work ethic and physiscality. Can you tell I want to have Tom Cruise’s baby? I want to have Tom Cruise’s baby.
Tom Cruise does his own stunts and deserves props. That being said a green screen on a sound stage with a lot of CGI is not the same as Jackie Chan doing real unbelievable non human seeming actual stunts. If you believe a Tom Cruise flick could get insured with him doing dangerous stuff you are falling for the hype. His stunts are like Profesional Wrestling. They are scripted, they are designed, they are over hyped, they still take a brave and athletic person to carry them out.
All proper stunts are scripted and designed.
Plus, if you think all Tom Cruise’s stunts are in front of a green screen, you are crazy. Tom Cruise does lots of real stunts. Just go to YouTube and search “Tom Cruise stunts” and you’ll see loads of videos showing breakdowns of his stunts that include zero green screen.
Being responsible for family really changes perspective. I dropped out of a race last year when (due to endless rain) most of the single track biking was rerouted to a major road. My #1 thought was that I am our family’s Breadwinner and Keeper of the Passwords. I would never do something to endanger their livelihoods or their access to Disney Plus.
Pro tip: use Bitwarden for passwords.
Daily drive without airbags? No, thank you. Occasionally drive without airbags? Absolutely.
Also If I’m in an Uber with an Airbag light on, I’m going to be far far more worried for that driver than myself. I guess my perception is that having an explosive over my head malfunctioning seems better than a malfunctioning explosive aimed at my face or my legs/crotch.
So this is an interesting question. Two of my cars do not have airbags. One, a 1995 Chebby K2500 doesn’t make me too nervous. It’s a big ol’ pickemup. The other, a 1993 Suzuki sidekick, DOES make me a little nervous. I just assume I’ll be a pancake if I ever get in a big enough wreck with that one. That being said, I always make sure the safety systems are working in all of my cars. I am a big believer in accident avoidance, but I can’t prevent some idiot doing idiot stuff.
Whoops, THREE of my cars don’t have airbags, I forgot my 77 cherokee. I actually have the seatbelts out of that one right now in order to repair the retractors.
You bought a 1999 Ford Falcon? Where the heck did that come from?
Also….. yes I drive a car every day with no airbags, my 89 Mini Cooper. I do have a new set of seatbelts and I always wear it, but I recognize that I’m driving something about as safe as a Campbells soup can and drive accordingly….ie: defensively. And I really pay attention when I’m behind the wheel of any of my cars.
That caught me too. I think he’s in Australia, the land of Falcodores.
he comes from the land of down under
Better run, better take cover.
Aaaaand ear worm initiated.
we’re men at work 🙂
[as Peter Griffin, doing a bad Australian accent] ???? Look at me with a brand-new Hyundai ????
Now a question is Australia always down under or are wedown under from the people in Australia? Or does it switch every 6 months like winter and summer? Is that how Santa Claus delivers presents to children around the world? I mean a different time of year for Christmas in the 2 different hemispheres and achanging day and time across countries?
Now I’m wondering if Sheldon hates Santa Claus because he believes Santa has solved string theory and he can’t?
These are things that keep me up at night.
I now hate you forever
If the airbags are supposed to be there, I want them to be present and operational. The crash structure was designed to keep me safe using the airbags. I don’t want to know what will happen to my body when it’s not being supported by the airbags while the rest of the car crumples assuming they’re present.
Even my ’86 Mercedes has the factory driver airbag in place. I don’t feel comfortable removing it for a non airbag wheel. I’m sure the bag (replaced in ’96, according to the glove box) will likely maim me due to age, but it’s a chance I’m willing to take.
This. I have no problem piloting or getting into an older car, but I don’t want to be in a new car without them that was designed to rely on them.
In general though, I certainly have a preference for airbags, especially in a family vehicle.
Exactly. My ’81 RX7 had no airbags and such light sheet metal that it was basically a motorcycle that could impale you from every angle. So I drove it like a motorcycle and trusted no one around me.
My 4000lb S-class with the driver airbag and basically the best crash safety rating of the 80s? I just drive like normal traffic.
You should always drive like you are surrounded by idiots for the following reasons:
1. You won’t forget to switch
2. Because you are surrounded by idiots.
I like stacking the odds in my favor.
Honestly, I like having airbags. Even shopping for a project or weekend car, airbags are kind of a requirement for something that would see use on the interstate. UNLESS the car was built with a roll cage, race seats and harnesses.
I can get around my area without getting on the interstate, so I would gladly drive an older vehicle without airbags for duty on the local roads.
I wouldn’t own one, but I’d ride in a friend’s car, though I wouldn’t like it too much. Airbags saved my butt (actually my head, but try and tell the difference) last year when I got t-boned. I’ll never take safety tech for granted after that.
I dont think ive yet to own a vehicle with a functional airbag. so ya, dont care one bit
although i have considered an airbag jacket for riding. still to pricey or bulky depending on brand
Um, yeah? I do almost every day, especially in the summer, to the tune of 8,000 or so miles a year.
My 1987 Toyota Truck only has airbags if I have a box full of them in the passenger seat. It didn’t have motorized-mice seatbelts either, remember to use them or don’t.
Crash protection? It’s called brakes and steering. Don’t run into stuff. Your call.
I love my truck and drive it all the time. I have for 37 years.
Damn I want to move where you are, around here there are other humans piloting vehicles that really complicate risk analysis.
You’re concerned about the other humans? It’s the self driving cars I currently worry the most about. Well, that and the humans on their phones, so I definitely see your point. Drunk drivers rank a close third.
> Crash protection? It’s called brakes and steering. Don’t run into stuff. Your call.
Those won’t help you when Cletus or Karen yeet their Navigator into you at 50mph.
Few things will. Just keep your head on a swivel and drive like the one thing that can really save you is awareness and avoidance. Because air bags are for after you’ve failed at those things.
Sure, chance is a factor. Such is life.
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