By what percentage do side airbags with head protection reduce fatalities, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety?

Side airbags with head protection play a significant role in enhancing occupant safety during side-impact collisions. The statistic indicating that fatalities are reduced by 45% reflects the effectiveness of these airbags in cushioning and protecting passengers' heads from direct impact, which is critical given that the head is particularly vulnerable in such scenarios.

The effective design of these airbags allows for a quicker deployment and covers a larger area of the side windows, minimizing the chance of injury from both the impact itself and from debris or intrusion into the passenger compartment. As side impacts often result in serious injuries due to the proximity of the vehicle cabin to the point of impact, the presence of head-protecting side airbags has been recognized as a crucial advancement in automotive safety.

While the other percentages suggest improvements in safety, the 45% reduction specifically highlights a significant increase in survival rates from incidents where side impacts occur, backed by extensive research from organizations focused on vehicle safety.