If you have never experienced a deployed airbag, then you are lucky. It can be a very shocking and unsettling experience; for first timers especially, but for everyone every time, as well. However, the more you know about how to react after your air bags deploy, the easier it is managing the fear and frustration that motor vehicle accidents usually involve. In fact, being coherent on the proper steps to take after an air bag deploys can relieve stress and fear for yourself and for your passengers, all at once.
Continue reading to learn what you should do if your airbags deploy in the case of a car accident or collision.
Air Bag Deployment Basics
It doesn’t always take a significant impact to cause airbags to deploy. If certain sensors are triggered, in the case of sudden braking or abrupt stopping, air bags can deploy. This can make it even more frightening and surprising for some. Here are the recommended instructions for handling airbag deployment:
➀ Check for Injuries
As soon as airbags deploy, check your passengers and yourself for any injuries, namely unconsciousness, broken bones, or stuck extremities. Burns are the most common injury from airbags, and although minor, should be treated to prevent infection. Headaches, body aches, and muscle soreness are all common symptoms post-airbag deployment.
➁ Seek Medical Attention
Once you have assessed your passenger injuries and your own, call an ambulance and allow EMT’s to treat your wounds and to check for other bodily injury. If you do not require EMT’s, it is still recommended to go to an urgent care center and be looked at by a doctor. Whether major or minor, be sure to seek out proper medical treatment for all injuries. If you and your passengers have zero injuries, move onto the next two steps.
➂ Turn Off the Engine and Get Exit the Car
In most cases, vehicular motors are designed to shut off when airbags deploy, but if yours did not, now is a good time to turn the ignition off and remove the keys entirely. This eliminates the potential for fuel leak fires and explosions. Then remove yourself and everyone else from the car, staying safely out of the way of traffic.
➃ Assist Other Vehicles Involved
If another vehicle was involved in the accident, and you are not hurt, offer assistance to the other driver and their passengers. Call for an ambulance and allow professional EMT’s to move or treat anyone injured.
➄ Have Your Vehicle Towed
Call a reputable 24 hour Indiana tow truck company, one suggested by your roadside assistance carrier or a well-established local service. Have your car towed directly to the location of your choice, whether that is your home, office, or auto repair shop. Try to avoid leaving a wrecked vehicle at the scene of the accident. Not only is this dangerous to other drivers, it can lead to city fines or repossession. After all, a deployed airbag does not always render a car totaled. Sometimes it is possible to repair your vehicle back to a working condition. If not, you can sell it to a local junk car buyer!
24 Towing for Wrecked Cars in Indiana
If you wreck your car in Central Indiana, call Zore’s Towing at 317-247-8484 for 24 hour emergency tow truck service at an affordable price! We provide prompt, 24 hour towing and roadside assistance in Indianapolis and throughout Central Indiana. Our licensed towing and recovery division retains an extensive fleet of over 35 tow trucks and wrecker equipment, allowing us to assist drivers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year, rain, snow, or ice. Request a free estimate, anytime.
