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. Seatmounted 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 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? on page 3‑24 for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety belts.
See also:
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Player Error: This message displays when there are disc load or eject problems.
Disc Format Error: This message displays if the disc is inserted with the disc label wrong side up, or if the disc is d ...
XM Messages
XL (Explicit Language Channels): These channels, or any others, can be blocked
by request, by calling 1-800-929-2100 in the U.S. and 1-877-438-9677 in Canada.
XM Updating: The encryption code in th ...
Shifting Into Four-Wheel Drive High or AUTO
(Automatic Four-Wheel Drive)
Turn the knob to the Four-Wheel Drive High or AUTO position. This can be done at any speed, except when shifting from Four-Wheel Drive Low. The indicator light will flash while shifting. It will remai ...