If you’ve ever been in a collision or seen your dash light up after an impact, you might ask: can you drive a car once the airbags have deployed? You are not just thinking about a personal issue on yourself, you’re also thinking about the safety of you being in a usable car, and the legality of driving this after you’ve done it.
We will discuss some options for driving it, or things to consider if you do decide to drive it, and you will remember, only if you choose to drive it.
What Does It Mean When Airbags Deploy
Your airbags deployed, which means that there was a minor car crash to a large car crash. The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) says that ‘if you have a system that has the airbag deployed, you cannot reactivate the airbag by anything other than replacing the system.’
So, can you drive a car once the airbags have deployed? The short answer is: no. Not safely and, in many cases, you cannot even legally do so, and wouldn’t pass inspection.
Let’s unpack what that means.
Can You Still Drive a Car After Airbags Have Deployed?
From a technical standpoint, you could potentially operate your vehicle after the airbag deployment, but that does not imply you should. When the airbag is deployed, the safety system has accomplished its duty and is inoperable. If you continue to drive, you are at risk for several reasons:
- Your safety systems are compromised: The airbag and sensor systems will not protect you in the event of another crash.
- There may be hidden damage: Steering, structural components, and alignment could be affected in ways you cannot see.
- You could face legal issues: Many states/countries won’t pass a car with deployed airbags in inspections.
- You could void your insurance coverage: Driving a vehicle with a known safety issue might affect a claim.
What to Do Immediately After Deployment
If you are ever in a situation where the airbags deploy, can you still drive a car after airbags have deployed? Here’s what to do step-by-step:
- Once repairs are completed and your car passes safety inspection, you can safely return to driving. Shut off the engine of your vehicle and look around to see if there are any injuries. Also, read a guide on is it okay to drive a car with check engine light on.
- if appropriate, call for help, assistance, or protection. Do not drive far- you should only move if you must, and provided that it is safe to do so and only move a short distance.
- Call a towing company – this is the safest and most responsible way to move your vehicle.
- Have the vehicle brought to an authorized or qualified shop- they will examine the air bag system and the sensor. More importantly, they will examine the overall integrity of the vehicle structure.
- Replace deployed air bags and modules, and any necessary supplemental components.- airbag module(s), sensor(s), and in some circumstances the dashboard too.
- Follow through with your insurance- most car insurance policies typically cover airbag replacement for vehicles involved in a collision. I suggest you verify with your insurance provider before getting replacement work done.
Once repairs have taken place and your vehicle passes the appropriate safety inspection, you should be able to safely drive your vehicle again.
When Is It Safe to Drive Again?
Many motorists ask,”can you drive a car after airbags have deployed” or can you still drive a car with deployed airbags? In theory, you could — but it’s best to let the car stay undrivable until the repairs are performed. You can safely drive again when:
- Airbags and sensors have been replaced by a certified and trained professional.
- The airbag warning light is no longer illuminated, verifying that computerized checks of the airbag condition are normal.
- The car passed a post-repair safety inspection.
- Your insurance provider has approved or updated the claim or documentation.
If you aren’t getting any of the above criteria met, then you may want to wait. Driving without the benefit of functional air bags is essentially putting yourself at risk associated with driving without your last line of defense. Driving a vehicle without functional air bag systems leaves you unprotected on the road and at disproportionate risk of injury.
Repair and Insurance Factors
The cost of repairing a vehicle after air bags have deployed can be expensive. Depending on make and model you could be looking at:
- Driver’s air bag: $800-1,500
- Passenger air bag: $1,000-2,000
- Side air bags: $600-1,200 per pair
These amounts are estimated to include parts and labor. Also, the air bag control module and crash sensors may need to be replaced as well. Insurance companies will often declare a vehicle a total loss if the repairs cost exceed the retail value of the car therein.
When evaluating a used vehicle that has had airbags deployed check the vehicle history report. If there was ever an airbag deployed there should be a complete document and certification of repairs. Used car history services like Carfax can show if the air bag was properly replaced or not. Never consider a car that shows “airbag deployed” unless there is proof of proper repairs done.
Conclusion
To sum up – Although technically you can drive your car once the airbags have deployed, you don’t want to. Safety risks are elevated when your air bag system has been deployed and may cause new injuries/damage to your vehicle. We have also indicated that driving a vehicle with the air bag deployed would not improve your safety in any accident.
You should have your vehicle inspected and the air bag system replaced before you operate the vehicle again.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
1. Is it illegal to drive a car with the air bag deployed?
There is no ordinance that makes it illegal to operate a vehicle that has the air bag deployed, although it is not very safe and will not guarantee a successful inspection. will limit as a condition to not drive the vehicle until the vehicle is repaired.
2. Can I reset the airbag myself?
No airbags are considered single use and by law must be replaced by a certified technician due to safety.
3. If the airbags deployed, can I drive it temporarily?
Yes, you can temporarily drive a short distance to a safe location. Under no other circumstances should you drive it, as it is unsafe to drive once the airbag is deployed and the airbag will not deploy if there is another crash.
4. Will my insurance company pay for a new airbag or just the repairs?
Most comprehensive or collision policies would pay for the airbag, but you should confirm that your is covering the repair as well.
5. What if I buy a used vehicle if the airbag were deployed?
In that case, you will want to make sure to get verification that the airbag was replaced and passed inspection (and it is true if you will not have any type of accident history) because otherwise it can be unsafe and besides maybe illegal to sell or drive.
