ayed to two holding components which house the folded, deflated bags (one in the steering column, the other on the passenger side of the front seat). Upon impact, a chemical is released which converts into nitrogen gas to inflate the air bag in less than a tenth of a second. Once riders have been cushioned against a frontal impact the bags deflate (U.S. Congress 3-4).
As with most technological developments, the use of air bags in automobiles has divergent sides. The Secretary of Transportation's mandate was based on data that strongly suggested that the use of air bags would prevent about 9,000 traffic deaths and 65,000 serious injuries annually. This data also suggested that the use of sodium azide as the inflation agent would pose no hazard to human health, and that air bags could be installed at a reasonable cost to the consumer many times reducing the insurance premium ("The Air" 16).
Opponents of the system maintained that in some instances air bags might injure children by throwing them around the inside of the automobile (Aird 179). They also suggested that "over the years, an unused air bag may lose its power of inflation or may be triggered off accidentally . . ." (Aird 180).
Some of the uncertainties involved in estimating air bag effectiveness are compounded by the lack of comprehensive field data. Critical also is the type of impact tested air bags are certainly likely to be more effective in frontal crashes than in rear or side accidents.
Recently though, many of the harshest critics for the use of air bags have realigned their previous opinions. Lee Iacocca, previously one of Detroit's harshest critics of air bag use, commented "Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? I had my doubts about air bags, but today's new t
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