I’m looking at a 1984 BMW that does not have airbags installed. I’m a little uneasy about the feeling of not having any airbags, but I’ve heard a lot of people say that they really don’t help a lot in certain scenarios as long as you wear your seatbelt. I’m really looking for some actual evidence and studies and research that show one way or another whether I should worry about not having airbags. Stories and personal opinion are always welcome too, but hard evidence would be great.
@PhattPete What 1984 BMW are you thinking of buying?
Would this be a daily driver?
In my opinion, you will never find any hard evidence . . . research papers, magazine articles, graphs, charts, etc. . . . showing that a car without an airbag is as safe or safer than a car with an airbag
@db4690 Its a 1984 633Csi with a 5 speed manual. And you’re right, evidence is really hard to come by. All I’ve been able to find are studies that highlight seatbelts as the main importance to safety, and I always wear my seatbelt. I’m not looking for a car without an airbag to be as safe necessarily, it just seemed like many people agree the increased safety can be negligible, and seatbelts are most important. I just really don’t know because I’ve never been in an accident. Also, yes it would be my daily driver, at least most days. Thanks for your response
I’m not sure a 31 year old european luxury/sport vehicle is the best choice for a daily driver
That 633Csi would be perfect for a weekend driver, in my opinion
I would get something newer, more fuel efficient and cheaper to maintain for a daily driver
And maybe something with an automatic . . . unless the commute to work is all freeway
The crash tests for cars without side airbags are typically much poorer than those with airbags. I won’t buy a car without both front and side (sometimes call curtain) airbags. I trust the test results to show the much reduced impact injury that would occur without airbags. Might there be some types of crashes that don’t see a difference, but last time I check folks don’t get to pick the kind of crash they’re in.
Here’s a 1996 report by NHTSA, said "Air bags provide fatality protection in potentially fatal crashes. Drivers protected by air bags experienced reduced fatality risk of 31 percent in purely frontal crashes (12:00 point of impact on the vehicle), 19 percent in all frontal crashes (10:00 to 2:00), and 11 percent in all crashes."
http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/airbags/208con2e.html
Here’s the IIHS statement on side airbags: "ARLINGTON, Va. — Side airbags that protect people’s heads are reducing driver deaths in cars struck on the near (driver) side by an estimated 37 percent. Airbags that protect only the chest and abdomen but not the head are reducing deaths by 26 percent.
“We found lower fatality risks across the board — among older and younger drivers, male and female drivers, and drivers of both small cars and larger passenger vehicles,” says Anne McCartt, Institute vice president for research and an author of the study."
If this isn’t enough, just google ‘fatality benefit of airbags’, there’s LOTS more.
I guess I would prefer the air bags, but the hard evidence is all of us older folks walking around that were never killed in cars without them.
That’s not evidence - those NOT walking around with us is the evidence.
Never the less a lot more of us made it through those nasty years.
Ahhh the heck with the danger. It’s a 633CSi.
Yeah, that’s one of my all time favorites. But not as safe as a new one, unfortunately.
Ya take your chances and pay your dues, Now never had an airbag deploy in my life, but has saved a few I know. Not to be too contrarily, but 3 people I know who were t-boned survived because they were not wearing a seat belt, so the officer said.
Never the less a lot more of us made it through those nasty years.
Based on population…less then 1% of the US population has ever been an serious enough accident that it could kill them. More of us made it through without ever dying in a plane crash…that doesn’t mean that plane crashes aren’t fatal!!!
You have to compare crashes in vehicles with and without airbags. Then you can get a sense of how effective air bags are.
And there have been studies…
http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/airbags/208con2e.html
It’s certainly a beautiful car, with timeless good looks
But it should be a weekend driver, not a daily driver, in my opinion
@Barkydog … Did the officer elaborate with an explanation why s/he believed NOT wearing a seatbelt saved lives in t-bone collisions?
Here's a 1996 report by NHTSA, said "Air bags provide fatality protection in potentially fatal crashes. Drivers protected by air bags experienced reduced fatality risk of 31 percent in purely frontal crashes (12:00 point of impact on the vehicle), 19 percent in all frontal crashes (10:00 to 2:00), and 11 percent in all crashes." http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/airbags/208con2e.htmlHere’s the IIHS statement on side airbags: "ARLINGTON, Va. — Side airbags that protect people’s heads are reducing driver deaths in cars struck on the near (driver) side by an estimated 37 percent. Airbags that protect only the chest and abdomen but not the head are reducing deaths by 26 percent.
@texases:
Your above-quoted data is based on average drivers (circa 1996, in the first case). That means, if you wear your seatbelt a statistically average amount of the time (relative to 1996 compliance levels), you should expect to see the statistically average reduction in fatalities. If you have a strict policy of NEVER moving the vehicle without fastening your seatbelt…those statistics aren’t terribly relevant to you…you’re an outlier.
At any event, learning that (in 1996) airbags reduced an “average” driver’s fatality risk 11% (and a belted driver’s risk some lesser, unstated amount)…well, it puts it in perspective. I wouldn’t choose my route to work based on one route having <10% more risk; would refuse to drive at night due to a <10% risk of collisions; wouldn’t base my car purchase exclusively on that <10%.
It’s a good thing, don’t get me wrong…but I’d not lose any sleep. If OP’s heart is set on the BMW, this isn’t (IMO) cause for exclusion–just remember to buckle up!
P.S. @MikeInNH , that link you gave us was AWESOME. Answered exactly how much additional reduction in fatality an airbag provides a belted driver–looks like in the vicinity of 7%. By comparison, seat belt usage nets you a whopping 45% reduction, all by itself! Puts things in perspective.
There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that seatbelts significantly improve your odds in an accident.
There’s also no doubt in my mind that airbags do too.
The data for both is compelling.
Having said that, my car doesn;t have side airbags and I don’t lose any sleep over it. Even without them, it’s 1,000… neigh, 10,000… times safer than the '61 Beetle I drove in high school. Or even my '64 Fairlane. Or my '72 Vega, or '76 Corolla. And, yet, here I am, still alive.
@marnet the reason was the seat belt did not hold them in place when they were tboned. One lady suffered a broken hip after being punched to the passenger side, Officer, you would have been dead if you had your seat belt on. Freakish 2 car tboned, driver ejected through the windsheild, do not ask me the logistics, broken leg but alive, officer, amazing you survived. Third bud went on green, tboned, bounced to the other side of his truck, same story, seat belt you would not have survived, suret bones are a minority of accidents, so how about a head on collision?
well there I was 45mph through a green light, undocumented unlicensed uninsured turns in front of me, He says"No officerl ight was green I turn left and he hit me! Got my deductable back 5 years later, busted the windsheild with my head, messed up my knee a bit on a headlight knob, and park was at the bottom of the steering column after the accident. Never even requested or needed medical attention,a little blood on my forehead and a sore knee oh well.
Back to the original question, sure all the safety improvements are great, I would not go back intime, but we have not yet achieved the perfect padded room to prevent all injuries.
I know one guy whose airbags went off. he was in a parking garage, got rear ended at 30 mph, air bags went off after getting bounced into the car in front of them. His head busted the windsheild and yes they had seat belts on.
Barky, have you seen the new Maybach?
Sorry, couldn’t resist.
@the_same_mountainbike I have not seen that car, probably my odds are overdue I should look into it, though 1 accident I backed into a car I did not see in my mirror in the last 30 years, you be the judge, though I would be hard pressed to give up my trailblazer, I drive wife and daughters small cars, and you are a target instead of an avoidance it seems. People tailgateing or turning in front of you the big things.
The ultimate in padded fortresses.
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=mercedes+maybach+2015&qpvt=mercedes+maybach+2015&qpvt=mercedes+maybach+2015&FORM=IGRE