Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Hit a deer, air bags?

Couple days ago, I hit a deer with my 2019 Silverado pu. I was traveling at about 72 mph. Never saw the deer till a fraction of a second before impact, so I never had the time to hit my brakes. It did extensive damage to my truck, especially the front bumper.
Should the air bags have deployed in such a situation? They did not deploy.

I’ve hit a bunch and none of them deployed airbags other than my ex wife’s.

No.

Anyone try those deer whistler doohickeys?

Those will run more deer in front of you...

Scares 'em right out into the road when they would have let you pass, grazing peacefully in the bar ditch.

I've heard the whistles are worthless.

I believe airbags have several gold plated sensors that have to make contact at the same time to deploy the airbags.

Just one or two won't do it.

Now, you jit a 2000 pound Angus bull at night at highway speeds they probably will.

I have hit several deer in vehicles that were much smaller than a Silverado and never had an airbag deploy. Thats a good thing to me because you don't have to replace it in addition to the damage to the vehicle.

Airbag deployment is dependent upon acceleration/deceleration (g-force).

The deer is a small impact. Consider yourself fortunate. Airbag deployment HURTS.. My daughter was on concussion protocol for weeks and suffered ear injury from a side impact air bag hitting her on the left side of her head.
She would have been much better off without the airbags. It was a low speed collision to her left rear quarter panel and wheel.

Air bag deployment will add $1000s to the cost of repair. And in some cases will cause a vehicle to be totaled.

I’ve collected about 4 over the years, one going about 60. Never an airbag deployment.

I hit a medium size doe at speed a few years ago, no air bag deployment.

Usually have to trigger multiple sensors

Air bags are violent. Son got large burn on his arm and a bruised face

Depends on the angle of the impact. My buddy’s side air bags deployed on a 19 F150 when he was struck by a deer on the driver’s door. $10k damage from a deer

Yup. Totaled my '06 Tundra when I hit a big buck one night near Longview, TX. I was going about 70mph when it ran right out in front of me. No time to hit the brakes and it's body centered the grill on my truck. Both front airbags went off.
The impact was great enough to tear the radiator loose and shove it back into the engine.

Ed

^^^^^^This

Deer and most other ungulates can't hear them--they are outside of their hearing range. They might call in a lot of canines though........

I hate airbags. From what I can tell they cause as many injuries as prevent injuries.

Having said that, in a really big wreck, and really bad wreck, airbags can save a life........

Thanks guys.
I’m glad they did not deploy, but was curious why they did not deploy.

55 mph - deer came pouring out of a little valley right onto the county blacktop. Never had a chance to do anything except blink once. Air bags fired. Van filled with powder and smoke. Horn blaring. Glasses slightly askew. Steam pouring up from radiator. Doe doing dying swivels at the side of the road. Called 911. Deputy showed up. Guy stopped and asked about salvage tag, then went over and looked at doe. Decided against it. Sore across chest the next day where belt tightened up on impact. Van declared total. (Was on my way home with processed deer from shotgun season. Decided that it was a suicide revenge attack.)

We have never hit deer straight-on. TN deer have always T-boned us in the door.

LOL