2002 study by University of Washington epidemiologists found that air bags contributed little to crash survivability

See Air Bag Agonistes: In the future, cars won’t need an IED in the dashboard by Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. of the WSJ. Excerpts:

"Washington has been responsible for research that confirms that air bags save hundreds of lives a year. These studies, though, credit air bags with saving people who were also wearing seat belts, when considerable evidence indicates seat belts alone do the job.

These studies also assume that deaths in collisions where air bags deployed are always attributable to the collision, never the air bag.

A 2005 study by Mary C. Meyer and Tremika Finney published by the American Statistical Association tried to correct for these errors and found that the clearest effect of air bags was an increased risk of death for unbelted occupants in low-speed crashes.

Likewise, a 2002 study of 51,000 fatal accidents by University of Washington epidemiologists found that air bags (unlike seat belts) contributed little to crash survivability."

"In 1997 came the reckoning: Air bags designed to meet the government’s criteria were shown to be responsible for the deaths of dozens of children and small adults in otherwise survivable accidents."

"Undoubtedly the technology has improved but still debatable is whether the benefits outweigh the risks and costs. Air bags remain one of the biggest reasons for vehicle recalls—and no wonder, given that these devices, which are dangerous to those who manufacture them and to those who repair vehicles, are expected to go years without maintenance or testing and then work perfectly."