Cars before airbags

[Pliablemoose]

I started driving in 74', South Dakota gave an unlimited motorcycle liscense to 14 year olds back then, and I could drive at 14.5 without a licensed driver with me in the car. (legally-drove on dirt roads long before then).

Those cars were fucking death traps, I remember always driving behind the local body shop to see the latest wrecks, we'd get out & look at the wrecks where there was a death/injury & look at the blood :Q

At lower speeds there were less passenger compartment intrusion issues, but it was pretty much a catastrophic failure situation with highway speed accidents, lots of ruptured bladders from lap belts, etc.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I used to have a '57 Chevy street rod project car. I'd built the engine, transmission and, suspension but ran out of dough before getting to the brakes. Yup, shoe breaks on a car that weighed approximately twice what any modern car weighs. Remember the commercials touting "double steel wall" construction for the bed of pick ups? That '57 had double steel wall construction all the way around. I always smiled to myself when some idiot cut me off in traffic, if the brakes failed, I'd roll right over their shiny new car and maybe have to straighten a bumper after totaling theirs.

 

[jRaskell]

Just wear your seatbelt.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

Originally posted by: Quintox
Let's say you buy a car from the 70's, and it has no airbag. Can you pay to get one installed, or will you have to buy a whole new steering wheel, or what?

I've always just wondered this out of curiosity.

you would need to replace wheel with one that contained an airbag (assuming it could be mounted on the column without custom machining) and install compatible supplemental restraint system's computer(s) and sensors. then, you would need to calibrate the computers and sensors to respond properly to the dynamic loads placed throughout the vehicle (hint: your energy mitigation is less than or equal to zero), occupant distance (would you like non-occupant or child sensing with that?) and many other factors.

without exaggeration, having successfully spent several years and millions of dollars to install an airbag that does more good than harm, in the event it is needed, the steering column is likely to impale you through the chest or throat. roll a natural 20 for a headshot.

 

[alkemyst]

Airbags have not significantly saved lives. However; they are a great way to have cars totaled for much less than true replacement value and great for parts sales.

 

[TraumaRN]

Originally posted by: alkemyst
Airbags have not significantly saved lives. However; they are a great way to have cars totaled for much less than true replacement value and great for parts sales.

Really? I wanna see that data that airbags dont save lives.

 

[LennyZ]

In 1971, the Ford car company built an experimental airbag fleet. General Motors tested airbags on the 1973 model Chevrolet automobile that were only sold for government use. The 1973, Oldsmobile Toronado was the first car with a passenger air bag intended for sale to the public. General Motors later offered an option to the general public of driver side airbags in full-sized Oldsmobile's and Buick's in 1975 and 1976 respectively. Cadillacs were available with driver and passenger airbags options during those same years. Early airbags system had design issues resulting in fatalities caused solely by the airbags.