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Just imagine that someone dear to you was in an automobile accident; wouldnt you like to know that there is a safety device to protect him / her from harm? The Law of Unintended Consequences states that new technologies will often result in results the opposite of their intention. Airbags, for instance, have gone through much controversy in the past few years for their actual safety, or lack there of, to occupants. After educating you on the truth about airbags, I believe that by the end of this paper you will have a new appreciation for this lifesaving device in your vehicle.
The Law of Unintended Consequences may be true for a number of new technologies, but only to a certain extent. Such is true in the case of the airbag, it some instances it may injure a passenger, but at the same time serve its intended purpose. The purpose of an airbag is to save lives by creating a barrier between the passenger and the dash. In order for an airbag to be effective, it must deploy very rapidly to create an instant buffer ("Auto Safety").
The speed of the inflation is around 200 mph and the entire inflation / deflation process takes less than half a second ("Are Airbags"). When you are involved in a frontal collision at speeds over 15 mph, a number of things happen in about 30 milliseconds: the sudden deceleration of your vehicle causes two sensors to send a signal to the diagnostic module, which self tests to confirm that a crash is taking place, then signals for the airbag deployment ("Airbags"). No one questions that airbags can save lives, especially in severe crashes (Smith). The government estimates that to date, auto airbags have deployed in approximately 1. 8 million crashes ("Mr. Traffic").
Airbags have saved over 2, 600 lives and are preventing many paralyzing and permanent brain injuries every day ("Air Bag On-Off"). The criticism towards airbags comes from the fact that they sometimes bring about injury and that is its inadvertent outcome. Car accidents sometimes cause injury and death, airbags were designed to prevent death and keep injuries down, that is their purpose, without the airbag accidents would likely yield far more fatal results. Inflating airbags have caused a small number of deaths or serious injuries to children, smaller-stature adults and pregnant women ("Auto Safety"). To date, 38 adults and 49 children have been killed ("Mr. Traffic").
The president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Brain ONeill, explains, "Its not the speed of the deploying airbag that prevents a risk, its the force level" (Flammang). The force required to inflate an airbag- faster than the blink of an eye- can injure an occupant who is too close to the bag when it begins to inflate ("Auto Safety"). The government requires that airbags have enough force to protect a person who is not wearing their seat belt (Doherty). This force can unintentionally injure a passenger, but at the same time is able to keep them from dying and is in turn fulfilling its main purpose Remember when I asked you to imagine that someone dear to you were in an automobile accident. Now imagine that person was you; would you want to have the airbag available for your safety? Everyone believes that they will not be in an accident, just as nearly all people believe they are good drivers.
If it saves one life, it is worth it. By educating ourselves and others about airbags we can reduce the hazards. So in the end the Law of Unintended Consequences may take effect on a number of products, but these products, such as the airbag, still fulfill their intended purpose. Airbags may cause an injury now and again but still save lives, not end them.
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Research essay sample on Unintended Consequences Of Car Airbags
