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.
Airbags supplement the protection provided by safety belts by distributing the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's body.
But airbags would not help in many types of collisions, primarily because the occupant's motion is not toward those airbags. See When Should an Airbag Inflate? for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety belts.
See also:
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to
your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find a
safe place to park the vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
• Keep the v ...
Convex Mirrors
WARNING
A convex mirror can make things, like other vehicles, look farther away than
they really are. If you cut too sharply into the right lane, you could hit a vehicle
on the right. Check the ...
Seat Adjustment
WARNING
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver seat
while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you,
or make you push a pedal wh ...