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.

Rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to help contain the head and chest of occupants in the outboard seating positions in the first, second, and third rows, if equipped with a third row seat. 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:

    Engine Oil Change
    When the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message displays, have the engine oil and filter changed within the next 1 000 km/600 mi. If driven under the best conditions, the engine oil life system migh ...

    Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
    The following information relates to the system developed by the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which grades tires by treadwear, traction, and temperature pe ...

    Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
    The tires and wheels were aligned and balanced at the factory to provide the longest tire life and best overall performance. Adjustments to wheel alignment and tire balancing will not be necessary ...