Final answer:
Airbags in cars increase the time over which crash forces act, reducing the net force exerted on passengers and leading to significantly safer outcomes in the event of a collision. The statement that airbags make crashes more dangerous is false; they are a critical safety feature.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that cars with airbags make crashes more dangerous is a misconception. Airbags are safety devices designed to minimize serious injuries to passengers during a vehicle collision. When a crash occurs, airbags deploy to increase the time over which the crash forces are exerted on the occupants of the car. This increase in time results in a reduction of the net force impacting the passengers and thereby substantially lowers the risk of serious injuries or fatalities.
Airbags work on the principle of impulse, which is the product of force and the time over which the force acts. The same change in momentum occurs during a crash regardless of whether an airbag is deployed; however, the duration over which the force acts on the passengers is increased with airbags. This longer period of force application reduces the peak force and lessens the potential for injury.
Modern cars often have plastic components that help the vehicle to crumple in a collision, increasing the time of impact and further decreasing the net force on occupants. Overall, the inclusion of crumple zones and airbags in vehicles has been a significant factor in the reduction of fatalities and serious injuries in automotive accidents since their widespread adoption. Therefore, airbags are a crucial feature that makes vehicles safer, not more dangerous in the event of a crash.