AIRBAGS - THE COST OF INFLATION

Not long ago, top German motor racing driver Bernd Schneider was hurling his Mercedes touring car around the twists and turns of Europe's most dangerous motor racing track, the 14 mile-long Nurburgring circuit built among the Eiffel mountains south of Frankfurt.

Barrelling down through one of the many chicanes, his car crashed against the kerbing, inflating to his surprise the airbag that Mercedes insist is fitted even to their racing machines. Just what he didn't need at over 100mph in the middle of a forest

Yet examine the facts and there's an overwelming case for having airbags. There's also, as Herr Schneider found, little reason to fear...

Airbags are compulsory these days in the European market. The airbag concept - a large cushion which explodes from the centre of the steering wheel to protect your head when the car sustains a violent front impact - was originally a European concept anyway. Mercedes-Benz pioneered its development way back in 1967 and little in essence has changed since.

All Airbags Are Not The Same

The fact that your car is fitted with an airbag should not give you a false sense of security. Unlike the 60-litre airbags used in the USA (where seatbelt wearing is not compulsory in some states) the smaller 40-litre `Eurobags` that most cars use here must work in conjunction with seatbelts if they are to be really effective.

As the deployment of airbags has become compulsory on new cars, manufacturers now fit a whole range airbags to protect the driver and passengers. As well as passenger airbags there are now side-impact airbags, curtain airbags and even knee airbags to reduce damage to occupants' legs.

Airbags buil...