I have a car that has blown airbags. I just wanted know if driving without airbags would get me into trouble with the police. I am in the state of OKLAHOMA.
Call the OK Department of Motor Vehicles and ask them anonymously.
Of course you realize that if you get in an accident driving with no airbags just may get you or someone you care about maimed or killed, without regard to the DMV’s answer.
I’m inclined to believe that it’s not a problem. We have a 1994 Nissan Sentra that’s had its airbag deployed for a number of years. We just tucked everything back into the steering wheel and riveted it shut. It was recently re-registered in Maryland after spending some time in Arkansas, and inspection wasn’t a problem.
I figure if it passed inspection with a deployed, un-repacked airbag, it wasn’t something they concern themselves with. Of course this is in Maryland; it may be different in Oklahoma so check with the DMV as suggested.
The police don’t care…It all depends on your safety inspection laws, if any…Half the cars and trucks on the road today don’t have airbags…
If you die in this car because you didn’t replace the air bags, you will surely be nominated for a Darwin Award.
I’m hijacking the thread a little, but…
I had a car inspected in MD a few years ago. General rule was that all the original safety equipment had be be good. And that’s why they flunked me for a broken side-reflector. Go figure.
But everybody is right. OP should check with Oklahoma DMV.
does the Darwin Award apply if the car does not have bags? What if the owner can afford a car with bags but drives a bagless car, does that apply also?
What if you have bags and you STILL die?? Maybe I should just stay home…
The police won’t notice. I doubt that there will be any trouble if you aren’t required to have safety inspections every year or two.
You don’t break any laws. It may or may not pass the next safety inspection but wait till that day comes or inquire.
Lastly if you sell the car DIVULDGE this defect. I am guessing a red SRS light is illuminated anyway but still.
I believe the real issue is safety for you and your passengers. I wonder what happened to the driver and passengers in the car when the air bags deployed? What would have happened if they did not have the air bags?
Just to add one more thing. In the event you have an accident and someone is injured, you could be held responsible because you chose not to maintain the air bags and your insurance company may not pay out, that could cost you anything you now have.
I was not speaking of the indigent. I was speaking of someone who would choose not to replace or repair safety equipment. Insurance should cover the expense of airbag replacement, shouldn’t it?
I love it when you guys try to change the subject. [i]Were we talking about a car that does not have air bags? Silly me. I thought we were talking about an airbag equipped car.[/i]
To paraphrase Shakespeare, some are born indigent, some achieve indigence, and some have indigence thrust upon them. If this guy ends up with a brain injury because of his decision not to replace the air bags, he will probably have achieved indigence for himself, and in my opinion, that achievement is worth some recognition.
Joseph brings up a good point…why did the airbags deploy? And did you and your passenger walk away because they DID deploy?
Perhaps the cauuse of the deployment is concrete evidence that you DO need to get them fixed…what happened once may happen again.