Knowing Your Vehicle
3-74
However, air bag inflation can also cause injuries
which normally can include facial abrasions,
bruises and broken bones.
There are even circumstances under which
contact with the steering wheel air bag can
cause fatal injuries, especially if the occupant
is positioned excessively close to the steering
wheel.
The air bags will completely inflate and deflate
in less than 1/10 of a second. The speed of infla-
tion and deflation protects the driver’s ability to
operate the vehicle. This is important in crashes
where a vehicle continues to move after an impact
and the driver still has some control of the vehicle’s
steering, braking, throttle and/or transaxle
systems.
It is virtually impossible for you to see the air
bags inflate during an accident. It is much more
likely that you will simply see the deflated air bags
hanging out of their storage compartments after
the collision.
In order to help provide protection in a severe colli-
sion, the air bags must inflate rapidly. However, that
speed also causes the air bags to expand with a
great deal of force.The speed of air bag inflation is
a consequence of the extremely short time in
which a collision occurs and the need to get the air
bag between the occupant and the vehicle struc-
tures before the occupant impacts those struc-
tures. This speed of inflation reduces the risk of
serious or life-threatening injuries in a severe colli-
sion and is thus a necessary part of air bag design.
CBGQ0349
Steering wheel air bag
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