Does your car have an airbag?

[precious_woman]

I am just wondering if your car has an airbag??? But I also want to raise awareness to anyone who does! I myself had absolutely NO idea just what force an airbag hits you with until this past monday night! I was driving along and going through a green light when I noticed out of the corner of my eye that there was a car coming like H-e-double toothpicks through the red light!! I was driving my sons toyota and I have to be totally honest with you...........I had NO idea just what force those airbags deploy with!! I thought my nose was bleeding (thankfully it wasn't) but the worst part was that it felt like my ribs were broken!! I could barely take a breath and it hurt like heck....my glasses were knocked off of my face and clear into the back seat! When my son looked it up online he said that with his car (the corolla) the airbag deploys with a force of 240 pounds!!
I am extremely thankful that I am only suffering from a severe contusion to the chest wall, bruises on my hands, neck and chest, and what feels like whiplash! When I think back to how many times my younger son (15) sat up front with me... I cringe! Even though he is "of age and lawful weight" to do so with an airbag, I honestly think the passenger air bag might have broken his neck (at the very least!!)
I know my fellow OGGers are very careful people, but I wanted to make sure everyone knows just how freakin dangerous the older ones are!! I believe if you do a google search on your car make, model and year and "airbag deployment force" you can find out just how strong yours is! I know in the newer cars they made them so that they are not quite as bad. So keep those kids in the back seat and everyone have a wonderful Holiday!