airbags didn't work/side impact

[GenOfEve]

What is the name of your state?michigan
i am currently paying for a pontiac grand am 1995
too much i might add
the point is my boyfriend and i were in an accident caused by slippery roads
we slid around off of the road and into a tree and an electric line pole knocking out the power in the nearby neighborhood we received no tickets (car totaled) but i was surprised when the officer asked if the airbags deployed
the answer is no
should they have deployed on a side impact at approx. 50 mph?
i tried to go online to find out more details but could not find any site with the info i needed
i bought the car used and i was told by the saleswoman that the car normally would have gone to auction but they had it checked by their technicians and what not
they said that because it was in fine condition and there was nothing wrong with it they had decided to keep it on their lot and sell it
they had just acquired it as a trade not too long before i bought it
right after i bought it (2 days) they shifter (automatic on the floor) button broke and they paid to tow it in and fixed it for free
a week later both the battery and alternator had to be replaced costing me almost $400
i had a 6 month unlimited mile warranty which only reimbursed me for 1 of two towing jobs $45 and $135 of the $285 it cost to fix the alternator but nothing for the battery
all i know is that i could have lost my life and the life of the father of my two month old son if the accident had been worse(like a head on) and the airbags were malfunctioned or disabled somehow
what i don't know is if the car dealer is responsible for the malfunction possibly by lieing to me or not doing a proper job of checking the car?
i had only plpd insurance b/c the finance company only required that to buy the car not full coverage which this was also told to me by the salesman who set up my financing and he told this to the insurance rep when she called HIM to confirm and not the finance company
now i'm stuck paying for a car that is trash and in my opinion i got stuck with it when they knew it was trash and charged me twice what it was worth
what can i do, if anything , to salvage my credit?
i'm so confused someone please help me figure this out

[teflon_jones]

You need to have a professional look at the airbags to see if there was something wrong with them. Also, do an internet search to see if you can find reports of similar problems with your model car.

The simple fact is that airbags don't always go off. If you read your owner's manual, it will probably contain a disclaimer saying this, along with a suggestion to always wear your safety belt. There are an infinite number of variables in accidents, and auto manufacturers can't account for everything, so sometimes airbags don't deploy even when you think they should have.

[racer72]

The airbags in your car are designed to go off in frontal impacts only.

[Lynx 36]

95 Grand Am's weren't even equipped w/ side impact airbags. They only came w/ a driver side airbag.

"The Grand Am is equipped with an abundance of safety features, but still lacks a passenger airbag. Standard features include a driver's airbag, anti-lock brakes and an automatic brake/transmission shift interlock, which prevents the vehicle from being shifted out of park unless the brake pedal is depressed. Sedans also include a power window lock-out switch and childproof rear door locks."

These people were driving too fast f/ conditions and are trying to place the blame of their accident on something else. The bottom line is the side impact airbag would not have prevented them from sliding off the road and striking the tree. The property damage costs more when airbags blow then when they don't. The car would have been wrecked regardless. This is typical of our society today. Nobody wants to take responsibility f/ anything, it's always someone, or something elses fault.

Next time when it rains slow down.