Which vehicle component is hazardous after a collision and should be disabled or avoided?

Which vehicle component is hazardous after a collision and should be disabled or avoided?

• A. Airbags
• B. Seat belts
• C. Headlights
• D. Windshield

Answer: (A)

Airbags can pose a danger after a crash because the inflator mechanism that powers them uses a pyrotechnic charge. If a collision has occurred, there may still be charged inflator hardware or deployed bags that can cause burns, release hot gas, or even cause injury if touched or disturbed. The area around the airbag modules should be treated as hazardous: avoid contact with undeployed bags and their hardware, and ensure the system is de-energized before working near them. De-energizing the vehicle and allowing deployed airbags to deflate reduces the risk of unexpected re-deployment or heat injury. Other components like headlights or a windshield can be damaged, but they don’t present the same immediate internal-activation hazard to responders as airbags do.

Airbags can pose a danger after a crash because the inflator mechanism that powers them uses a pyrotechnic charge. If a collision has occurred, there may still be charged inflator hardware or deployed bags that can cause burns, release hot gas, or even cause injury if touched or disturbed. The area around the airbag modules should be treated as hazardous: avoid contact with undeployed bags and their hardware, and ensure the system is de-energized before working near them. De-energizing the vehicle and allowing deployed airbags to deflate reduces the risk of unexpected re-deployment or heat injury. Other components like headlights or a windshield can be damaged, but they don’t present the same immediate internal-activation hazard to responders as airbags do.