Head Airbags - Skoda Octavia Owner's Manual

150 Airbag system

Head airbags

Description of the head airbags
The head airbag together with the side airbag offers enhanced
occupant protection in the event of a side collision.
The head airbags are positioned above the doors on both sides in the interior of the
 fig.
car 140. The installation positions of the head airbags are each marked with
the "AIRBAG" logo.
The head airbag together with the three-point seat belts and the side airbags,
offers additional protection for the head and neck area of the occupants in the
event of a side collision of major severity  page 151, "Important safety information
on the head airbag".
Apart from their normal protective function, a further task of the seat belts is to also
hold the driver and the occupants in a correct seated position in the event of a side
collision so as to enable the head airbags to offer the maximum protection. You
should therefore always fasten the seat belts, not only because this is required by
law, but also for safety reasons and for your own protection  page 141, "Why seat
belts?".
Together with other elements (such as cross bars in the doors, stable vehicle struc-
ture) the head airbags are the consequent further development of occupant protec-
tion in the case of side collisions.
Fig. 140 Installation position of the head
airbags
Function of the head airbags
The risk of injury to the head and neck area is reduced in the event
of a side collision by fully inflated head airbags.
In the case of a side collision the head airbag is deployed together with the relevant
side airbag  fig. 141 and the belt tensioner on the side of the car on which the acci-
dent occurs.
If the system is deployed, the airbag is filled with propellant gas and covers the
entire area of the side window including the door pillars
The protection offered by the head airbags is thus available simultaneously both to
the front occupants of the car seated on the side on which the collision occurs, as
well as to the rear occupants. Any impact of the head against parts of the interior or
objects outside of the car, is cushioned by the inflated head airbag. The reduction in
any impact to the head and the resultant minimizing of any movements of the head
additionally reduce the risk of injuries to the neck area. The head airbag also offers
additional protection in the case of an offset impact by covering the front door pillar.
In certain accident situations, the front, side and head airbag are simultaneously
deployed.
The airbags inflate in fractions of a second and at a high speed in order to be able
to offer that additional protection in the event of an accident. A grey white, non
harmful gas is released when airbag is inflated. This is perfectly normal and is not
an indication of a fire in the vehicle.
Fig. 141 Inflated head airbag
 fig.
141.