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. Frontal airbags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually.
Seat-mounted side impact and roof-rail airbags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper 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:
Charging System Light
The charging system
light will come on briefly
when you turn on the
ignition, but the
engine is not running,
as a check to show you
it is working.
It should go out once the engine is runnin ...
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in the
center of the steering wheel.
The front outboard passenger
frontal airbag is in the passenger
side instrument panel.
Driver Side Shown, Passenger
Side ...
Roadside Assistance Program
For U.S.-purchased vehicles, call 1-800-252-1112; (Text Telephone (TTY): 1-888-889-2438).
For Canadian-purchased vehicles, call 1-800-268-6800.
Service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
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