AIRBAG DEPLOYMENTS - THE CANADIAN EXPERIENCE

Transport Canada is undertaking an in-depth study of motor vehicle col lisions involving airbag deployments. University-based collision inves tigation teams across Canada are used to collect crash data. The prima ry objective of the study is to gain a better understanding of the inj uries and the injury mechanisms associated with airbag deployments amo ng both restrained and unrestrained occupants. Preliminary results sho w an exceptionally high level of seatbelt use in conjunction with the supplemental air cushion restraints, Most crashes are, however, of onl y minor to moderate severity, in which the seatbelt systems alone woul d be expected to provide adequate occupant protection. Initial finding s indicate that, at the lower end of the collision severity spectrum, deployment of an airbag may, in some circumstances, increase the overa ll likelihood of injury to a restrained occupant. This suggests that t he current deployment threshold is set too low, at least for belted oc cupants.