Kia Rio 2006 Owner's Manual page 97

Knowing Your Vehicle Knowing Your Vehicle
How does the air bag system operate
• Air bag only operates when the ignition switch is
turned to ON or START position.
• Air bags inflate instantly in the event of serious
frontal or side collision in order to help protect
the occupants from serious physical injury.
• There is no single speed at which the air bags
will inflate.
Generally, air bags are designed to inflate by the
severity of a collision and its direction. These two
factors determine whether the sensors send out
an electronic deployment/inflation signal.
• Air bag deployment depends on a number of
factors including vehicle speed, angles of impact
and the density and stiffness of the vehicles or
objects which your vehicle hits in the collision.
Though, factors are not limited to those
mentioned above.
• The front air bags will completely inflate and
deflate in an instant.
It is virtually impossible for you to see the air
bags inflate during an accident. It is much more
likely that you will simply see the deflated air
bags hanging out of their storage compartments
after the collision.
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• In order to help provide protection in a severe
collision, the air bags must inflate rapidly. The
speed of air bag inflation is a consequence of
the extremely short time in which a collision
occurs and the need to get the air bag between
the occupant and the vehicle structures before
the occupant impacts those structures. This
speed of inflation reduces the risk of serious or
life-threatening injuries in a severe collision and
is thus a necessary part of air bag design.
However, air bag inflation can also
injuries which normally can include facial abra-
sions, bruises and broken bones, and some-
times more serious injuries because the inflation
speed also causes the air bags to expand with a
great deal of force.
• There are even circumstances under which
contact with the steering wheel air bag can
cause fatal injuries, especially if the occu-
pant is positioned excessively close to the
steering wheel.
cause