Airbag Fumes Kill Man in Scotland

Car airbags have been controversial for a long time because, when deployed, they're likely to injure or kill people under 5'4" tall--the category that includes most of the women on Earth. At 5'4" in flat shoes, I've avoided the front seats in cars that have airbags since these hazards came onto the market.

As local readers know, my mother survived a crash about a year ago. Although her left arm was broken, both ankles were badly sprained, and predictable rib cracks and bruises appeared, Mother was back on the job in a few weeks...because she was wearing a seat belt (not a shoulder belt) and had had the driver airbag removed before driving her minivan. (Mother used to be exactly as tall as I am, but has shrunk during the past thirty years.)

Unfortunately, Mother had left the passenger airbag in the van. With the car that hit her blocking the driver's side door and the airbag blocking the passenger's side door, Mother was trapped in the van for more than twenty minutes. Airbag fumes definitely damaged her throat, leaving her voice gravelly for several weeks. She thinks the chemicals in the airbag have affected her memory and temper, and after observing Mother over the past year I believe this is true. Her memory was excellent before the accident and is still well above average for her age group, but it's not as good as it was a year ago.

We'd considered sharing these facts for several months before Steve Milloy shared the link to this news story:

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2012/05/29/scot-killed-by-breathing-airbag-s-noxious-fumes-after-car-crash-86908-23877554/

"His widow June said: “I knew from the very beginning that it was the airbag. I just knew but other people would look at me as if to say, ‘don’t be silly’. Ronnie told me about the white powder straight away. He said there was so much of it he couldn’t see. It’s just not fair that you have to lose someone because of something that is meant to save a life.”"

Please, Gentle Readers, if you own a car and have not taken these steps already: Have both airbags removed from your car; and make sure all users of your vehicle wear seat belts at all times.

And, optionally, even if you are not a woman and don't plan to marry one, support the women who want to get those "death bags" out of our vehicles.