Retractable or "flush" car door handles are a major safety hazard in emergencies. If a crash damages the vehicle's electrical wiring or completely cuts off power, these handles often fail to deploy which can trap occupants inside and prevent first responders or bystanders from opening the doors to rescue them. Johannes Neudecker/dpa/dpa-tmnA sleek vehicle silhouette with nothing sticking out into the wind. You have likely seen newer cars featuring retractable door handles that are virtually invisible at first glance.They may look smooth, but retractable or "flush" car door handles are a major safety hazard in emergencies, say experts.The trouble is that if a crash damages your vehicle's electrical wiring or completely cuts off power, these electronic handles often fail to deploy.AdvertisementAdvertisementThat can trap the occupants inside and prevent first responders or bystanders from opening the doors to rescue themBut they are not without controversy, say accident researchers-After all, even first responders might not always be able to spot or operate the handles immediately, and that’s not all.China is now set to ban certain door handles on new cars that disappear into the door and cannot be mechanically unlocked in an emergency as of next year.Why install these handles in the first place?Mainly, design. “Primarily, retractable handles are often offered for aesthetic reasons because they look good,” says Kirstin Zeidler, head of accident research for insurers at the German Insurance Association (GDV).AdvertisementAdvertisementAerodynamics are frequently cited as an advantage, especially for electric cars. “Ultimately, good aerodynamics also means greater range, especially for electric vehicles,” she says.But some carmakers are now returning to classic door handles, so the benefit to range seems limited.What types of retractable door handles are out there?But how do these retractable handles actually work? In some cases, retracted door handles must be extended by applying pressure at certain points. In others, they extend automatically when the driver approaches. Both variants can then be opened at the push of a button, and in an emergency, mechanically as well, for example by applying more force, essentially by pulling them out.AdvertisementAdvertisementBut unfortunately, not all models offer this emergency mechanism, which exacerbates the problem.What exactly is problematic with retractable handles?“We consider retractable door handles problematic because they make it difficult to rescue oneself or injured people from the car in the event of an accident,” says Zeidler. This applies especially to laypeople acting as first responders, who cannot know how to open the retracted handles or where to apply pressure, Zeidler says. Plus, consider that this is a stressful situation like after an accident, when the vehicle might even catch fire.Even professional first responders like firefighters can react more quickly if a classic door handle is the first point of contact.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe main problem is that the power supply to electric handles can fail in an accident. In that case, they should be operable mechanically - but the rescuer may not know immediately how to do that.“Instead of recessed handles, we strongly advocate for intuitively operable door handles where it’s immediately clear how to operate them, both from the outside and the inside,” says Zeidler.For such life-critical functions, technology must “follow human logic; it must simply be intuitive—including through its tactile feel,” she says.This also applies to vehicle controls in the car; for important driving functions such as turn signals, lights, and windscreen wipers, there should be buttons and levers.AdvertisementAdvertisementFor door handles, mechanical fallback options are important—that is, the ability to open the door purely mechanically—regardless of how the system is normally operated. “The handle is usually just the point of contact for placing your hand,” says Zeidler. “In our daily lives, we don’t think about emergencies.” There are already models where, in the event of an accident, the door handles must pop open automatically, regardless of the power supply.As a consumer, what should I do? Buy or not buy?Zeidler suggests if you’re interested in a vehicle where the doors can’t be opened with a traditional handle, be sure to seek detailed advice.If in doubt, proactively ask your dealer or carmaker, how exactly does this work in an emergency? “Because there are very different, varied solutions. You should at least be aware of this and make a conscious decision to buy or not.”AdvertisementAdvertisementWhat about opening the door from the inside?The issue doesn’t only apply to opening the door from the outside. It can also be done electrically from the inside, using a button or lever. That means if this doesn’t work in an emergency, you need to know how to do it mechanically. It may mean you need to look in parts of the interior trim which can take time even under normal circumstances.All passengers need to familiarize themselves with how to open the door after an accident as the emergency release mechanism for the rear doors may be different from that of the front doors.“A classic door handle, easy to find, saves vital time in an emergency here as well,” says Zeidler.