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3-53
03
During a moderate to severe frontal
collision, sensors will detect the
vehicle’s rapid deceleration. If the rate of
deceleration is high enough, the control
unit will inflate the front air bags, at the
time and with the force needed.
The front air bags help protect the driver
and front passenger by responding to
frontal impacts in which seat belts alone
cannot provide adequate restraint. The
side air bags help provide protection in
certain side impacts or rollover accidents
by supporting the side upper body area.
• Air bags are activated (able to inflate
if necessary) only when the Start/Stop
button is in the ON or START position,
and it can be activated within about 3
minutes after the vehicle is turned off.
• Air bags inflate in the event of certain
frontal or side collisions to help
protect the occupants from serious
physical injury.
• Generally, air bags are designed to
inflate based upon the severity of a
collision, its direction, or etc. These
two factors determine whether
the sensors produce an electronic
deployment/inflation signal.
• 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 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 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 consequence
of extremely short time in which
to inflate the air bag between the
occupant and the vehicle structures
before the occupant 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, especially if the
occupant is positioned excessively
close to the air bag.
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 10
in. (25 cm) of space to inflate. NHTSA
recommends that drivers allow at least
10 in. (25 cm) between the center of the
steering wheel and the chest.
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