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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. Air bags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts.
Air
bags distribute the force
of
the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper bady,
stopping
the
occupant more gradually. But air bags would
not help you
in
many types
of
collisions, including
rollovers, rear impacts and side impacts, primarily
because an occupant's motion is not toward those air
bags. Air bags should never be regarded as anything
more than
a
supplement
tn
safety belts, and
then
only
in
moderate to severe front:.- ~r newfrontal collisions.
What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so
quickly that some people may not even realize the
air bag inflated. Some components o'f the air bag
module -- the steering wheel hub for the driver's air bag,
or the instrument panel for the right front passenger's
bag
--
will be hot for a short time. The parts of the bag
that come into contact with you may be warm, but not
too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust
coming from vents in the deflated air bags. Air bag
inflation doesn't prevent the driver from seeing or from
being able to steer the vehicle, nor
does
it stop people
from leaving the vehkle.
When an air bag inflates, there is dust in the air.
This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe to do so.
If you have breathing problems but can't get out
of the vehicle after an air bag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or door.
In many crashes severe enough ta inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.
Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After they
inflate, you'll need some new parts for your air bag
system. If you don't get them, the air bag system
won't be there to help protect you in another crash.
A new system will include air bag modules and
possibly other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
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