What Makes An Airbag Inflate; How Does An Airbag Restrain - Pontiac 2005 Montana SV6 Owner's Manual

What Makes an Airbag Inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For both
frontal and side impact airbags, the sensing system
triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which inflates
the airbag. The inflator, the airbag and related hardware
are all part of the airbag modules. Frontal airbag modules
are located inside the steering wheel and instrument
panel. For vehicles with side impact airbags, the airbag
modules are located in the seatback closest to the
driver's and/or right front passenger's door.

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. The airbag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually.
But the frontal airbags would not help you in many
types of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts, and
many side impacts, primarily because an occupant's
motion is not toward the airbag. Side impact airbags
would not help you in many types of collisions, including
frontal or near frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear
impacts, primarily because an occupant's motion is not
toward those airbags. Airbags should never be
regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety
belts, and then only in moderate to severe frontal or
near-frontal collisions for the driver's and right front
passenger's frontal airbags, and only in moderate to
severe side collisions for vehicles with a driver's
and right front passenger's side impact airbag.
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