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What makes an air bag inflate?
In a frontal or near-frontal impact of sufficient severity, the air bag
sensing system detects that the vehicle is suddenly stopping as a result
of
a crash. The sensing system triggers a chemical reaction of the sodium
azide sealed in the inflator. The reaction produces nitrogen gas, which
inflates a cloth bag. The inflator, cloth bag, and related hardware
are all
part of the air bag inflator modules packed inside
the steering wheel and
in the instrument panel in front of the passenger.
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. 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 air bags would not
provide protection in many types of collisions, including rollovers and
rear and side impacts, primarily because an occupant's motion is not
toward the air bag. Air bags should never
be regarded as anything more
than a supplement to safety belt protection in moderate to severe frontal
and near-frontal collisions.
What will you see after an air bag inflation?
After the air bag has inflated, it will then quickly deflate. This occurs
so
quickly that some people may not even realize that the air bag inflated.
Some components of the air bag module in the steering wheel hub for the
driver's air bag or the instrument panel for the passenger's bag may be
hot for a short time, but the portion of the bag that comes into contact
with you will not be hot to the touch. There will be small amounts of
smoke and dust coming from vents in
the
deflated air
bags. The
air
bag
will
not
impede the driver's vision or ability to steer the vehicle, nor will it
hinder the occupants from exiting the vehicle.
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