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Safety system of your vehicle
• The front air bags will completely
inflate and deflate in an instant. It is
virtually impossible for you to see
the air bags inflate during an acci-
dent. It is much more likely that you
will simply see the deflated air bags
hanging out of their storage com-
partments after the collision.
• In addition to inflating in serious
side collisions, vehicles equipped
with a rollover sensor, side and/or
curtain air bags will inflate if the
sensing system detects a rollover.
When a rollover is detected, curtain
air bags will remain inflated longer
to help provide protection from
ejection, especially when used in
conjunction with the seat belts. (if
equipped with a rollover sensor)
• To help provide protection, the air
bags must inflate rapidly. The
speed of air bag inflation is a con-
sequence of extremely short time
in which to inflate the air bag
between the occupant and the
vehicle structures before the occu-
pant impacts those structures. This
speed of inflation reduces the risk
of serious or life-threatening
injuries and is thus a necessary
part of air bag design.
However, the rapid air bag inflation
can also cause injuries which can
include facial abrasions, bruises
and broken bones because the
inflation speed also causes the air
bags to expand with a great deal of
force.
• There are even circumstances
under which contact with the air
bag can cause fatal injuries, espe-
cially if the occupant is positioned
excessively close to the air bag.
• In general, airbag operation is
mainly determined by colliding
intensity and colliding directions.
Those are the key factors for the
airbag sensors to generate the
electrical signals for airbag opera-
tions.
• The airbags operate in accordance
with colliding intensity, direction,
and density/hardness of the collid-
ing object. However, the airbags do
not always deploy in all collisions.
You can take steps to reduce the risk
of being injured by an inflating air
bag. The greatest risk is sitting too
close to the air bag. An air bag needs
about 25 cm (10 in.) of space to
inflate. It is recommended that driv-
ers allow at least 25 cm (10 in.)
between the center of the steering
wheel and the chest.
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