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.
Rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to help contain the head and chest of occupants in the outboard seating positions in the first and second rows. The rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to help reduce the risk of full or partial ejection in rollover events, although no system can prevent all such ejections.
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 veh ...
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak® Light
The Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak light comes on briefly
when the engine is started.
If the light does not come on, have
the vehicle serviced by the dealer.
If the system is workin ...
How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Surge Tank
WARNING!
You can be burned if you spill
coolant on hot engine parts.
Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts
are hot enough. Do not spill
coolant on a hot engin ...
