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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 body,
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 anythmg more than a
supplement
to
safety belts,
and
then
only
in moderate
to
severe frontal or near-frontal collisions.
What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After an a i r bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly that
some people may not
even
realize
the
air bag inflated.
Some components of 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 vehicle.
I
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
to
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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