A car airbag fills with air instantly in a car crash. It saves lives. It stops injuries. The airbag makes car travel safer. However, cars did not always have airbags.

John W. Hetrick invented the airbag. He was an engineer. Hetrick worked on torpedoes during World War II. In 1952, he was in a car accident. He hit a large rock in the road. Hetrick and his wife threw their arms out to protect their young daughter from hitting the dashboard.

Hetrick started working on car safety. In 1953, he created a blow-up cushion. Car companies tried different types inflatable devices in the 1950’s. There were some troubles. At first, airbags caused injuries. The bags needed something to sense a car crash. Allen Breed invented the sensor in the late 1960’s.

Cars began to have safe airbags in the early 1970’s. In 1998, a law about car airbags was passed. Since then, all cars and light trucks have airbags on both sides of the front seat.

Today, most cars have many airbags. The doors have side door airbags. The back seats have airbags. A car might have six or eight airbags.

Airbags are used in planes and helicopters to protect the pilots. Air bags are being tested on motorcycles. There are even airbag helmets to protect bicycle riders!