What Makes an Air Bag Inflate?In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensingsystem detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For bothfrontal and side impact air bags, the sensing systemtriggers a release of gas from the inflator, which inflatesthe air bag. The inflator, air bag and related hardware areall part of the air bag modules inside the steering wheel,instrument panel, the side of the front seatbacks closestto the door and the ceiling of the vehicle, near the sidewindows.How Does an Air Bag Restrain?In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,even belted occupants can contact the steering wheelor the instrument panel. In moderate to severe sidecollisions, even belted occupants can contact the insideof the vehicle. The air bag supplements the protectionprovided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force ofthe impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body,stopping the occupant more gradually. But the frontalair bags would not help you in many types of collisions,including rollovers, rear impacts, and many side impacts,primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward theair bag. Side impact air bags would not help you in manytypes of collisions, including frontal or near frontalcollisions, rollovers, and rear impacts, primarily becausean occupant’s motion is not toward those air bags.Air bags should never be regarded as anything morethan a supplement to safety belts, and then only inmoderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions forthe driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal air bags,and only in moderate to severe side collisions for theside impact air bags.1-55
