can your arms break from air bags?

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When you ask this question, you're basically asking the question "can your arms be broken if they are held in front of an explosive device when it goes off", and the answer is yes.

There are many factors to consider, however, and they all determine the likelihood of such a thing happening. If you keep your hands at 9 and 3, your risk of an injury to your forearms if the airbag deploys is significantly less than if, say, one of your arms is resting on the center of the steering wheel.

Similarly, you're more at risk if you're shorter (and have your head closer to the bag) than if you're taller, and at more risk if your air bag is an older design than if it's one of the new variable bags (that reduce deployment force if the seat is occupied by a lighter -- and presumably smaller -- person.)

However, that risk also needs to be evaluated against the risks associated with not using an airbag at all. By educating yourself, you can make conscious decisions that will significantly reduce the risk of injury in an accident.

Here are some tips:

1. Keep kids in the back, even if they're no longer in car seats, to keep them away from front airbag deployments;

2. Make sure you and the other passengers are always wearing seat belts, to keep you properly positioned in front of the airbags when they deploy (and to prevent passengers in the back seat from becoming missles into the front seat area, and a whole other list of reasons);

3. Keep your hands at 9 and 3 if you're narrow and tend to drop your forearms straight down, and 10 and 2 if you're wide and tend to keep your elbows pointed out;

4. Never hook your thumbs into the wheel, or do anything else that prevents your arms and hands from falling away from the wheel if the airbag deploys or the wheel spins quickly during an accident;

5. Drive attentively, to help you avoid accidents in the first place....Show more

ok for one, letting them put their arms out of the window isn't really a good idea.. the side air bag curtains are safe IF used correctly. its just like any other thing, you know not to put metal in a microwave, and you should know not to put your face by the window.. but kids will be kids, and the fact is, if your kids ALWAYS do it, tell them to quit, becuase side air bags are VERY effictive, and dramatically reduce risk of injury from a car hitting that side. its up to you, if you let them put their arms out, they can get it broken.... but that is better than being killed., and if you let them put their heads by the window, your an idiot sorry to say, either way with or with out there going to die. air bag might decapatate them, or the car might crush there head... just think about priorities. its really up to you...Show more

I don't think so that your arms can be broken by the airbag
when it is activated during an accident. If you're small and
fragile, your arms can be bruised badly by the impact of the
airbag.
The airbag is designed for maximum safety - to protect the
head, face, neck and arms from serious injury....Show more

i own a repair shop,and if your a small person ,yes they can it can also break your nose,all small people get hurt when the air bag goes off,but its not like getting a permanent injury,the bags can hurt but another car hitting you can do a lot of damage to you,so either way you look at it,your going to get hurt in one way or the other,good luck i hope this help,s....Show more

Yes. It has happened on early air bag designs. Air bags have been redesigned with new type deployment senors to lesson this problem....Show more