In 1976, I broke my jaw…on a steering wheel. The problem was, as you can well imagine, was that the car, including the steering wheel had stopped, and I hadn’t.

This is more commonly referred to as an accident, or in this case, a huge frontal impact.

The steering wheel poses quite a big problem for manufacturers when it comes to safety mainly because it is fairly solid, as my jaw will attest to.

Since the 1960s, a number of design measures have been introduced, aimed at reducing the risk of injury. For example, modern-day steering columns feature an articulated joint, enabling them to give in the event of an impact. This was fine until airbags found their way into cars. Again the steering column had to go under development as the airbag itself is housed normally in the center of the steering wheel. Having the wheel pointed towards the roof when it collapsed and having the airbag go off wasn’t going to help with safety.

The latest safety steering columns feature elements which retract like a telescope in the event of a collision, thereby preventing it from penetrating into the vehicle interior. Telescopic linkages and additional articulated joints largely isolate the steering wheel movement from the deformation of the bulkhead.

During a crash not exceeding a certain severity, the steering wheel and the airbag thus maintain a defined position in front of the driver.

What this now means is that the airbag will be effective, and yet, the steering column will be able to collapse in a safe manner, which will lower injuries.

Back in the day, it was jaw meets wood – the wood won.

Now, thanks to collapsible steering columns, and steering wheels with airbags, we are way safer than ever before in frontal impacts.