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What Makes an Airbag Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing system sends
an electrical signal triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills the airbag causing
the bag to break out of the cover and deploy. The
inflator, the airbag, and related hardware are all
part of the airbag module.
Frontal airbag modules are located inside the steering
wheel and instrument panel. For vehicles with
seat-mounted side impact airbags, there are airbag
modules in the side of the front seatbacks closest to
the door. For vehicles with roof-rail airbags, there
are airbag modules in the ceiling of the vehicle, near
the side windows that have occupant seating positions.
How Does an Airbag 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.
Airbags supplement the protection provided by
safety belts. Frontal airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually.
Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags
distribute the force of the impact more evenly over
the occupant’s upper body.
Rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to
help contain the head and chest of occupants in the
outboard seating positions in the first and second rows.
The rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to
help reduce the risk of full or partial ejection in rollover
events, although no system can prevent all such
ejections.
But airbags would not help in many types of collisions,
primarily because the occupant’s motion is not
toward those airbags. See When Should an Airbag
Inflate? on page 1-59 for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything more
than a supplement to safety belts.
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