Read the text below.
Airbag Inside Sweden AB, an airbag design company, recently designed a pair of jeans that can protect motorcycle riders from injuries.
The special pants look like a regular pair of jeans, but their insides are lined with airbags. In order to work, the pants should be tethered to a motorcycle via a detachable string. If the rider falls from the vehicle, the string will be pulled, triggering the airbags to inflate.
The jeans are made of special fibers that make them very sturdy. They are also reusable, as the airbags can be deflated and refilled with gas even after a fall.
The jeans were created to reduce instances of serious lower-body injuries among motorcycle riders. Currently, only upper-body protection, such as inflatable vests, is available to motorcyclists.
According to US data on road accidents, motorcycle riders are 28 times more likely to die in crashes compared to car passengers. In addition, motorcyclists who survive extreme accidents generally suffer more damage in their lower bodies than in their upper bodies. Injuries to the lower body are less deadly than upper-body injuries, but they tend to have lasting effects.
News of the jeans was well-received by motorcycle enthusiasts. One said that lower-body protection for motorcyclists is long overdue and believes that airbag pants can greatly improve motorcycle safety. Another was intrigued by the pants but wanted to know more details before trying them.
Currently, Airbag Inside Sweden AB is having the jeans tested so that they can be certified to European health and safety standards. The company hopes to release them commercially in 2022. It has received around $180,000 in funding from the European Union, which it will use to further develop the product.