Re: At what speed do airbags go off in an accident?

"The Raven" <swilson150@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:482a04a2$0$30460$afc38c87@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> "^Tems^" <brookersteve913@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
> news:4828e87b$0$22174$5a62ac22@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>I went to have a look at a Mondeo for parts that had rear ended a bus.
>> The guy said his niece had hit the bus at around 60 k's. Strange thing 
>> was the airbags hadn't gone off. Do they have a set speed they go off
or 
>> could it have been disconnected?
>>
>> This is the damage to the vehicle
>>
>> http://i8.ebayimg.com/06/i/000/ef/9b/eacf_1.JPG
>> http://i20.ebayimg.com/08/i/000/ef/9d/0571_1.JPG
>
> I believe it's supposed to be 40kph for Australia but, as other people 
> have pointed out, it's more to do with the rate of decelleration.
>
> Looking at your pics it's clear the bus impacted above the bumper where 
> the impact sensors are located and the decelleration was not as rapid as

> it could have been in most normal accidents.
>
> If that was a 60kph accident I would have expected the damage to extend 
> all the way back to the windscreen. As it only extends half way along
the 
> bonnet/hood I'd estimate a speed of approximately 30kph. 60kph is most 
> likely where the driver panicked and stood on the brakes, not the impact

> speed.

I know of cases where bags have been deployed after hitting a kangaroo. 
There wouldn't be too much deceleration in that scenario.

Roger