Frontal airbags (driver and right front passenger)are not intended to inflate during vehiclerollovers, rear impacts, or in many side impacts.The side impact airbags are intended to inflatein moderate to severe side crashes. A side impactairbag will inflate if the crash severity is abovethe system’s designed “threshold level.” Thethreshold level can vary with specific vehicledesign. Side impact airbags are not intended toinflate in frontal or near-frontal impacts, rollovers,or rear impacts. A side impact airbag is intendedto deploy on the side of the vehicle that is struck.In any particular crash, no one can say whetheran airbag should have inflated simply because ofthe damage to a vehicle or because of whatthe repair costs were. For frontal airbags, inflationis determined by what the vehicle hits, theangle of the impact, and how quickly the vehicleslows down in frontal and near-frontal impacts.For side impact airbags, inflation is determined bythe location and severity of the impact.What Makes an Airbag Inflate?In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbagsensing system detects that the vehicle isin a crash. The sensing system triggers a releaseof gas from the inflator, which inflates theairbag. The inflator, airbag, and related hardwareare all part of the airbag modules inside thesteering wheel, instrument panel, the side of thefront seatbacks closest to the door, and the ceilingof the vehicle, near the side windows.How Does an Airbag Restrain?In moderate to severe frontal or near frontalcollisions, even belted occupants can contact thesteering wheel or the instrument panel. Inmoderate to severe side collisions, even beltedoccupants can contact the inside of the vehicle.The airbag supplements the protection provided bysafety belts. Airbags distribute the force of theimpact more evenly over the occupant’s upperbody, stopping the occupant more gradually.76
