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:
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the vehicle and the trailer. Cross the safety chains
under the tongue of the trailer to help prevent the tongue from contacting the road
if it becomes separated from t ...
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
The vehicle may have a Side Blind
Zone Alert (SBZA) system. Read
this entire section before using the
system.
WARNING!
SBZA does not detect vehicles
rapidly approaching outside of the
side ...
Leaving the Vehicle With the Engine
Running
WARNING:
It can be dangerous to leave the vehicle with the
engine running. The vehicle could move suddenly if
the shift lever is not fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. And, if ...