26% of drivers wearing glasses could suffer an eye injury if the airbag deploys

As soon as I read the news, a spark went off: I wear glasses too, and apparently 72% of drivers who use them do so because they have poor vision like me, or because they may eventually need them to protect themselves from the sun. So, what would happen if we had an accident and the airbag went off?

These questions have been addressed in the “Study on eye injuries in glasses wearers due to airbag deployment at low speed“, which concludes overall that 26% of drivers wearing glasses at the moment of a collision may suffer eye injuries, a worrying figure.

Analysing the study more closely, it turns out that in 15% of cases the glasses act as protection, serving as a barrier between external agents and the eye. However, this only happens with full-frame glasses, never with rimless frames (like the ones I wear, for example).

The chances of eye injury are also determined by an incorrect distance from the steering wheel: it is recommended to be roughly 45 centimetres away, yet many drivers sit closer than recommended. If you are a driver and wear glasses, it is also worth knowing that mineral lenses tend to shatter, so it would be better not to use them.

Via | Motorspain