Automaker Ford had recently announced that it will offer the first seatbelt airbags for backseat car passengers. The airbags are expected to appear on its new Ford Explorer model that will be launched next year.

Ford informed that the airbags, placed at the shoulder part of the rear seatbelts, will stretch outward and sidewise like a small tubular cushion. The seatbelt airbags inflate slower and with lesser force than frontal bags, making them safe for children and elderly passengers.

Seatbelt airbags are considered as vital lifesaving devices in vehicles. They reduce the danger of passengers being ejected from the car during rollover accidents. Automakers had traditionally focused on the safety of the driver and front seat passengers, who make up the most of fatalities on highway accidents.  The new Ford seatbelt airbags now spread the focus to include the backseat occupants.

Sue Cischke, Vice President of Ford, assured that the automaker had done various tests to ensure that the airbags are safe, particularly for children. She said that the new seatbelt airbags of Ford Explorer are intended to support the head and neck of backseat occupants, and to spread the crash forces across the passengers’ body during accidents.

Adrian Lund, President of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, informed that traditional seatbelts could result to cracked ribs during severe crash accidents. By distributing the load, which the new seatbelts of Ford Explorer can provide, passengers reduce the possibility of chest injuries.

Aside from Ford, other car manufacturers are also looking at alternative uses for airbags. Toyota is now introducing a rear seat centre airbag that provides added safety in side crashes. There is also an industry talk of external car airbags that would offer further protection for small vehicles and pedestrians.