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Can Car Safety Features Cause Accidents and Injuries?

While the benefits of safety features certainly outweigh the risks, it’s important to be aware of potential risks and ensure you are using them correctly.

st. louis driver putting on their seat belt

The more safety features a car has, the safer it is, right? While this is true, safety features are not foolproof. In fact, some safety features can actually contribute to accidents and car accident injuries. While the benefits of safety features certainly outweigh the risks, it’s important to be aware of potential risks and ensure you are using them correctly.

Driver-Assistive Features

As road safety becomes an increasingly important concern, modern car manufacturers are investing heavily in driver-assistive features. These features generally fall into two categories:

  • Detection/warning systems: These systems are designed to alert drivers to potential hazards or dangers on the road, such as other vehicles, pedestrians, or obstacles. Examples of these systems include lane departure warning and collision avoidance systems. 
  • Braking systems: These systems are designed to help drivers stop their vehicles more safely, such as automatic emergency braking or adaptive cruise control.

While these features can be incredibly useful, they can also be dangerous. Some drivers tend to put too much trust in these features and can become complacent, leading to accidents. Additionally, these features can engage without warning, potentially causing confusion and leading to accidents.

Airbag Injuries

Unfortunately, while airbags are meant to protect us in the event of an accident, they can also cause car accidents and car accident injuries. Defective airbags can deploy unexpectedly when driving. This can confuse the driver leading to accidents. Even properly installed airbags can cause injuries during an accident; here’s how:

  • The force of the airbag deploying can be powerful enough to cause serious injuries if you’re too close to the steering wheel or dashboard. 
  • Additionally, any objects in the airbag’s path can become projectiles, potentially causing further injuries.

To prevent airbag-related injuries, it’s important to always wear your seatbelt, avoid putting your feet on the dashboard, and sit a safe distance away from the steering wheel and dashboard.

Seat Belts Injuries

Seat belts undoubtedly help to prevent serious injuries during an accident by keeping you securely in place and limiting your body’s movement. However, seat belts can also cause injuries during an accident if not used correctly. 

For example, if a seatbelt is not properly adjusted or worn, it can cause abrasions or bruises during an accident. Additionally, if a seatbelt is worn too tightly, it can cause chest injuries or even internal organ damage. 

To avoid or reduce seat-belt-related injuries during an accident, it’s important to wear the seat belt correctly. Here are four tips to keep in mind: 

  • Make sure the shoulder belt is worn across the center of your chest, away from your neck
  • Avoid wearing the shoulder belt under your arm.
  • Make sure the seat belt fits properly and is not too loose or too tight.

As you can see, car safety features can contribute to accidents and injuries in certain circumstances. It’s important for drivers to be aware of the potential risks and to use caution when utilizing these features.

St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer

If you have been injured in a St. Louis car accident, it’s important to speak with an experienced St. Louis car accident attorney as soon as possible to ensure your legal rights are protected. At The Hoffmann Law Firm, we have 25 years of experience and can help protect your rights and pursue the compensation you deserve after an accident. Give us a call 24/7 to schedule a free case evaluation.



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Updated: March 7, 2023