air bag on front of the car

[cram_it_frog]

Hi I was watching 5th gear TV show they were discussing the new UK regulations on pedestrian safety cars being designed to reduce injury to pedestrians
They had a car and a discovery3 hit a dummy
the least amount of damage to the dummy was made by the discovery
the cars lower bonnet caused head trama
So they said some people are talking about fitting car air bags to the from of cars

They said laws are changing so quick and the pedestrian is number one and cars must be redesigned so that a frontal impact damage or injuries be reduced

what do think and how will this work who pays for replacement of air bag in pedestrian walk out in front of your car and set it off ?

also will this make insurance even more expensive

[xisled]

The problem with this idea is that an Airbag will only deploy once an impact has occurred. if the pedestrian has already impacted with the car then the airbag may cause more damage to the pedestrian.

From an insurance point of view, it will only change if the cost to repair the airbag is high. Comprehensive insurance as this only covers damage to the car and not the person. It may change pricing of CTP insurance.

[Smoke Pursuit]

The bonnet on my Mercedes pops up to cushion a front end pedestrian impact. interesting.

[PETE_XR6]

The Volvo V40 has an exterior airbag designed to reduce head injuries to pedestrians

[cram_it_frog]

I think it will come no I am certain and things like roo bars will be a thing of the past

but I wonder why not spend more money on pedestrian education look at some guy trying to cross a free way it was on the news the other day sadly he was killed

why would some one try and cross a busy free way

may be some one can design a shoo roo electric device for humans shoo human type thing

nothing is impossible

[SavVYute]

In Oz there will be a lot of grateful kangaroos if they're introduced

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by xisled

The problem with this idea is that an Airbag will only deploy once an impact has occurred. if the pedestrian has already impacted with the car then the airbag may cause more damage to the pedestrian.

Several cars already have bonnets that pop up via small charges in the event of a frontal impact. The GTR is one that comes to mind as having this feature.

There is no perfect solution, but I assume that most pedestrian impacts happen when someone steps out in front of a car. First point of impact will be legs, second point of impact will be body being bent over by car and impacting bonnet causing damage to vital organs and head.

As with interior airbags a bunch of sensors will govern if the airbag goes of or not, but there will be a time in the not too distant future where frontal airbags or mechanisms to pop up the bonnet and absorb some of the impact of a pedestrian will be mandatory and found on $15k new cars, much like the 6 airbags most have internally.

[cram_it_frog]

SavVYute the last roo I hit was with out a roo bar and that cost me $800 to fix the headlights

I had to ring local Broken Hill police I was 60 k out of town and I had broken the roos hip so I put a old tarp over him to settle him down and rang police

they came out and put him down the others were with a roo bar and both we killed on impact they came out of no where right onto the road

i was sitting on 110 middle of the day both times

[mik]

agree with cram-it-frog, people need to start looking where they are going and think twice about the safest place to cross,
it should not be all on the car makers and drivers to go above and beyond watching out for pedestrians,
pedestrians need to show due care.

[cram_it_frog]

just call me cram ok

cheers


look you can be as diligent as hell and if a pedestrian walks in front of you whos fault it is

I know of a Perth Bus driver 20 odd years ago a school kid got off his bus normal bus route and the kid ran in front of him as he was taking off and he was killed no charges ever laid but the bus driver handed in his drivers licence and from what I have heard never drove again he just could not drive

this simple error of judgement effect the kids parents and the bus drivers and his family lucky the Perth bus company did keep him on in the office but to live with that I am not sure how I would handle it ,and I have been driving for a very long time

[Nova 8]

People need to take more responsiblity for their actions (car, motorbike, cyclist and pedestrians). Increased safety features to accommodate stupidity only encourages poor habits.

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by Nova 8

People need to take more responsiblity for their actions (car, motorbike, cyclist and pedestrians). Increased safety features to accommodate stupidity only encourages poor habits.

What about the kids who have know idea running out infront of cars? Accidents still happen, pobody is nerfect remember...




A lot of European cars have the popup bonnet now, the Mercs have a length of tubing that sits between the bumper impact absorber and the metal tie bar/reinforcement that sets of sensors in an impact IIRC...

To lift the bonnet up, there is too gas filled rams that fire up and hit the bonnet hinge, the hinge has built in weak points so the back of the bonnet is lifted up.

[xtremerus]

They would not be all that effective for small children.

[aussie muscle]

Originally Posted by Nikked

What about the kids who have know idea running out infront of cars?

Originally Posted by xtremerus

They would not be all that effective for small children.

he has you there.
i agree with the others. pedestrians need to be careful on the road, and maybe start putting zebra crossing back in, where they have right of way.

[cram_it_frog]

I would hate to be a parent with very young kids living in a place for example Sydney that would be a very hard place .

I often come a little unstuck in I go to Adelaide even the traffic is much faster and every one seems like in a rush I know I am spoiled living in a remote small town where traffic is limited to 50 all over town

The effect on a total 50 k limit has had a dramatic effect on the amount of accidents and the damage this has reduced the income of the local panel beaters no really big jobs come in

any one with kids will agree it is the parents responsibility to make sure they stay safe and know what to do

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by xtremerus

They would not be all that effective for small children.

You've tested it?


But, its not just small children...nor pedestrian's for that matter...motorist are also at fault for not paying enough attention.

Life is getting busier, more rush, more congestion...


"Better safe then sorry"


But, if we had the "Increased safety features to accommodate stupidity only encourages poor habits"

We'd still have cars with no seat belts, collapsible columns or impact absorbing bumpers...because, accidents don't happen right?

[Nova 8]

Originally Posted by Nikked

But, if we had the "Increased safety features to accommodate stupidity only encourages poor habits"

We'd still have cars with no seat belts, collapsible columns or impact absorbing bumpers...because, accidents don't happen right?

I'm not against safety features on my car, I could car less about what happens to the bonnet in an accident. Just think constant reliance on safety features to solve issues is bad. The fact is there are always going to be accidental deaths in life.

People watching their kids in the park rather than being on failbook is a good example of them needing to be more responsible.

[simon varley]

nobody plans to have an accident, but manufacturers have to design for worst case scenarios. Pedestrian protection is a very important part of NCAP and ANCAP ratings and whatever you may personally think about them, those ratings are important for manufacturers and buyers.

[xtremerus]

I'm not against the safety side of it, Nikked.

I was just pointing out that it is not the Holy Grail for child pedestrian safety.

I have hit many kangaroos over the years, And I have NEVER had one come over the bonnet onto the screen.
I don't drive high 4x4s either, sedan type vehicles.

That I why I made the comment that it will not save injuries to children running out in front of cars, in response to your comment.

With the Australian increasing sales of high-riding SUV and 4x4s, it would have a reduced effect of this safety feature.

[tut0r]

Speaking of safety wasn't it the UK who tested having those wrap around barriers on their light poles like you see on AFL goals to stop people running into them from an increase in phone activity? In a world like that I think it really comes down to lack of concentration in the general population, Nova 8 said it, death is going to happen one way or another its just a matter of trying to lessen how much it happens.

I was lucky as an L plater that I had a great driving instructor who taught me to watch for everyone else as opposed to constantly trying to watch what I am doing. I now look at both sides of an intersection as I go through and have missed that many idiots running red lights I'd probably of been in over 6 bingles if I hadn't.

Same thing if I see a kid playing on the sidewalk I keep a close eye on them as I go by just in case. I avoided getting cleaned up by a truck on the M80 today as I notice him slowly veering into my lane.....Just about being aware of our surroundings.

[aussie muscle]

this was posted on Jalopnik. here's a person almost being hit by a bus because of not paying attention (and not using the zebra crossing)
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=78d_1410727347

[tut0r]

Originally Posted by aussie muscle

this was posted on Jalopnik. here's a person almost being hit by a bus because of not paying attention (and not using the zebra crossing)
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=78d_1410727347

**** me.....HOW, HOW CAN YOU BE SO STUPID!!!! That'll be a girl who lives to be the ripe old age of 70 + only because of that near miss probably made her think twice, unfortunate for those who don't get that opportunity...

[jpblue1000]

Sometimes the pedestrian is just sitting there minding their own business when the driver loses control and kills them. Benefit of a bonnet bag for the driver is they may not have to live with the knowledge they killed someone with the front of a car!

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/teenager-d...15-10h1k8.html

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=c...ed=0CEsQsAQ4Cg

JP

[cheap]

Originally Posted by jpblue1000

Sometimes the pedestrian is just sitting there minding their own business when the driver loses control and kills them. Benefit of a bonnet bag for the driver is they may not have to live with the knowledge they killed someone with the front of a car!

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/teenager-d...15-10h1k8.html

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=c...ed=0CEsQsAQ4Cg

JP

Maybe having a driver licensed to drive a car might have avoided the accident/death in the first place.