Correct understanding of the protective role of airbags

Many of our newly-listed cars have one or two airbags installed: one on the driver's side and the other on the co-pilot side. Some high-grade cars may also be equipped with rear seat airbags and side airbags. Please refer to the owner's manual for details.

The airbag system can increase the safety of passengers in the vehicle, but only if the airbag system must be correctly understood and used.

1. The airbag must be used with a seatbelt. If the seatbelt is not fastened, even if there is an airbag, it may cause serious injury or even death in the event of a collision. In a crash, the seat belt can reduce the risk of you hitting objects inside or being thrown out of the car. The airbag is used to work with the seat belt instead of replacing the seat belt. Only in moderate to severe frontal impact can airbags expand. In the case of tumbling and rear-end collisions, or in low-speed frontal collisions, or in most side impacts, they do not expand. All passengers in the car should wear a seat belt, whether or not they have airbags in their seats.

2. Maintain the proper distance from the airbag while riding. Explosive force is great when the airbag expands and it is shorter than the blinking time. If you get too close to the airbag, for example, leaning forward, you may be seriously injured. The seat belt can hold your position before and during a crash. Therefore, even if there is an air bag, it is necessary to fasten the seat belt. And the driver should try to sit back as far as he can while controlling the vehicle.

3. Airbags Airbags that are not designed for children and three-point seat belts provide the best protection for adults but do not protect children and babies. Neither the seat belt nor the airbag system of the car is designed for children and infants, and they need to be protected with a child seat.

4. Airbag Indicator There is an airbag-shaped "ballast ready light" on the dashboard as shown below. This indicator shows if the airbag's electrical system is faulty. When starting the engine, it will light briefly, but it should be extinguished very quickly. If the light is on or blinking continuously during driving, it indicates that the airbag system is faulty and should be repaired as soon as possible.

5. Where is the air bag installed?

The driver's airbag is in the center of the steering wheel. The co-pilot airbag is in the right instrument panel. Note: If there is anything in between the occupant and the airbag, the airbag may not expand properly or it may hit the occupant, causing serious injury or death. Therefore, there should be nothing in the airbag deployment space. Never place anything on the steering wheel or near the airbag cover.

6. Under what conditions should the balloon expand?

The frontal airbag of the driver and the front passenger expands in a moderate to severe frontal collision or near a frontal collision, but according to the design, the airbag can expand only when the collision force exceeds a predetermined limit. This limit value describes the severity of the collision when the airbag is inflated. Various scenarios are taken into account when setting the airbag. Whether or not the airbags are inflated does not depend on the speed of the vehicle, but mainly on the objects that collide, the direction of the collision, and the deceleration of the vehicle.

If your car hits a stationary, hard wall, the limit is approximately 14 to 27 km/h (different vehicle limits may vary slightly).

Airbags can expand at different crash speeds, depending on the following factors:

Whether the colliding object is still or moving.

Whether the colliding object is easily deformed.

The width of the colliding object (such as a wall) is narrow (such as a column).

Collision angle.

Frontal airbags do not expand when the vehicle rolls over, in the event of a rear collision, or in most side impacts, because in these cases the frontal airbags do not expand to protect passengers.

In any collision, whether or not the airbag should be expanded cannot be judged simply based on the degree of damage of the vehicle or the maintenance cost. For frontal or near-frontal impacts, the expansion of the airbag depends on the angle of the crash and the deceleration of the car.

The airbag system works well under most driving conditions, including off-road driving. However, we must always maintain safe speed, especially on uneven roads. In addition, be sure to fasten your seat belts.