Knee Airbags Causing Injuries

An important factor for many people in deciding what car to purchase is safety, which includes the prevalence of airbags. Airbags are important for protection in the event of a severe car accident. But did you know that many newer cars have knee airbags, and that knee airbags may actually be causing injuries to some drivers during relatively minor car accidents?

Knee airbags are designed to minimize injuries to the lower limbs as they make contact with the dashboard. However in some cases, knee airbags deploy with such force that they actually cause knee injuries even in accidents where there would have been no knee injuries at all.

Ford introduced a new passenger knee airbag design on the 2015 Ford Mustang that is made of an inflatable, molded plastic bladder, instead of the traditional fabric used for airbags. When an accident occurs, the inflator fills the bladder, extending the entire glovebox outer door panel toward the front passenger’s legs. Once it’s deployed, the outer door helps to provide cushioning in a manner similar to a traditional knee airbag.

This new plastic material, however, has caused injuries to some people when they say they likely would not have been injured. For example, earlier this year a Florida woman was involved in a low-speed crash yet says her legs are cut up and injured so badly that it will take months to recover. And according to drivers who complained to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there have been at least eight of these cases since 2008.

So while knee airbags are supposed to prevent disabling leg injuries, and may benefit you in certain accidents, it is also possible in some cases it may cause harm where there should be none. Many people are unaware that their cars even have knee airbags. You should check if your car is equipped with them if you are worried about this potential issue.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a car crash or truck accident and are in need of an accident attorney in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Naples, Ocala, Orlando, Tampa, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Ft. Myers or any other city in Florida –remember after 911, call 411! 1-800-411-PAIN can put you in touch with an experienced, aggressive network attorney who will fight for your rights and get the maximum compensation you deserve. Don’t forget to follow 411 PAIN on Twitter (@411PAIN), keep up with the conversation at #411PAIN and check out the 411 PAIN event gallery 411painevents.com!