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In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were. For
frontal air bags, inflation is determined by the angle of
the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down in
frontal and near
-
frontal impacts. For side impact air
bags, inflation is determined by the location and severity
of the impact.
What makes an air bag inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For both
frontal and side impact air bags, the sensing system
triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which inflates
the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related hardware are
all part of the air bag modules inside the steering wheel,
instrument panel and the side of the front seatbacks and
behind the rear seatbacks closest to the door.
How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The air bag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually.
But the frontal air bags would not help you in many
types of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and
side impacts, primarily because an occupant’s motion is
not toward the air bag. Side impact air bags would not
help you in many types of collisions, including frontal
or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear impacts,
primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward
those air bags. Air bags should never be regarded as
anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and
then only in moderate to severe frontal or near
-
frontal
collisions for the driver’s and right front passenger’s
frontal air bags, and only in moderate to severe side
collisions for the side impact air bags.
What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly that
some people may not even realize the air bag inflated.
Some components of the air bag module
--
the steering
wheel hub for the driver’s air bag, the instrument panel for
the right front passenger’s bag, the side of the seatback
closest to the door for the side impact air bags
--
will be
hot for a short time. The parts of the bag that come into
contact with you may be warm, but not too hot to touch.
There will be some smoke and dust coming from the vents
in the deflated air bags. Air bag inflation doesn’t prevent
the driver from seeing or being able to steer the vehicle,
nor does it stop people from leaving the vehicle.
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