Airbag/Cocooning/Infant Seat

JerseyGirl'sMama

New member
I would NEVER dream of this, but something I read in another thread made my brain tick. Hypothetical:

If someone put an baby, in an infant bucket, RF in the front seat of a car with an air bag, and had an accident where the front air bag released...

would the airbag not push the bucket into the seat and cocoon providing protection to the child?

I am guessing that the force of the airbag would be great and may cause damage to the shell? And the force alone from the airbag would whip the child hard into the seat, more so than force of the accident alone?

I know this sounds crazy, just trying to stop the ticking in my head.
 
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ThreeBeans

New member
If someone put a baby in a rearfacing seat that was struck by an airbag, pretty much all that would happen is the baby would be beheaded by the force of the impact.
 

CDNTech

Senior Community Member
:yeahthat: The airbag deploys at such a fast rate of speed that it is not going to cause the seat to cocoon, it is going to break the seat (and babies head) in half.

There is a picture floating around here of an airbag deployed with an infant seat on the front seat.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Before:
Rear%20facing%20car%20seat%20pre%20test.JPG


After:
Rear%20facing%20car%20seat%20post%20test.JPG


Though looking at that I have to wonder. If the infant's head wasn't able to ramp up at all (which obviously this one would in a collision) would that still happen? And did they collide this car or just set off the airbag? There doesn't look to be any other damage.

Wendy
 

PixieEMT

New member
That is absolutely crazy! :( How many RF babies probably died in the late 80s early 90s b/c of that. Before, anyone realized "Hey, this is dangerous!"

:(
 

Valentine

New member
Ditto the two previous posts. I'm terrified of airbags. I know they're for my safety but I try to sit as far away from them as I can, whether I'm the driver or passenger.
 

southpawboston

New member
was that a test dummy or a toy doll? if a toy doll, then that can't really be too meaningful and the photo is in effect a dramatization. i mean, my 20 month old daughter has ripped doll heads off before. but i do get the point and agree that severe damage can happen. that's why i think it's stupid that the US requires those unreliable airbag sensors and doesn't trust american citizens enough to use an actual switch properly.
 

azgirl71

CPST Instructor
was that a test dummy or a toy doll? if a toy doll, then that can't really be too meaningful and the photo is in effect a dramatization. i mean, my 20 month old daughter has ripped doll heads off before. but i do get the point and agree that severe damage can happen. that's why i think it's stupid that the US requires those unreliable airbag sensors and doesn't trust american citizens enough to use an actual switch properly.

The pics Wendy posted are a actual dummy. I have seen it before. ;)
 

Defrost

Moderator - CPSTI Emeritus
Um, do we need an actual dummy as opposed to a doll in this case? Can't we just read the reports where people have done this and see what happened (the babies were either internally decapitated or completely decapitated)?

Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have a video to illustrate the risk (is it a risk if it kills the baby 99.9% of the time?), but I don't see what difference it makes what kind of dummy/doll they use - if it re-enacts what has actually happened IRL, that's the point, right?
 

ThreeBeans

New member
Um, do we need an actual dummy as opposed to a doll in this case? Can't we just read the reports where people have done this and see what happened (the babies were either internally decapitated or completely decapitated)?

Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have a video to illustrate the risk (is it a risk if it kills the baby 99.9% of the time?), but I don't see what difference it makes what kind of dummy/doll they use - if it re-enacts what has actually happened IRL, that's the point, right?

I think SBP is saying, if this was just a flimsy plastic toy, sneezing on it might make it separate. An actual crash test dummy will simulate what happens to the human body with crash forces. So the distinction is important.
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Rebound and airbag deployment occur at different stages of the crash...the airbag is deploying as the seat moves forward/down...rebound is after the crash when the airbag is already deflating.

(And remember not to be fooled by the safe-sounding word 'cocooning'...it's rebound...the child's head is slamming into the seatback...it's not dangerous in most cases, but it's not a safety feature, either)

:)
 

southpawboston

New member
I think SBP is saying, if this was just a flimsy plastic toy, sneezing on it might make it separate. An actual crash test dummy will simulate what happens to the human body with crash forces. So the distinction is important.

right, thank you :). i was trying to write a reply but you summed it up for me just fine.
 

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