Depending on the severity of the crash, frontal air bags inflate to prevent occupants from hitting the steering wheel, dashboard, and windshield. Frontal air bags for both drivers and passengers have been standard equipment in all vehicles since 1998.

Frontal air bags do not eliminate the need for safety belts and typically do not offer protection in rollovers, side-impact, or rear-end crashes. Air bag effectiveness depends upon the proper use of safety belts, which help keep you in place should a collision occur. Occupants who are unbelted or out-of-position can end up being seriously injured or killed if they are too close to the air bag when it deploys.

Advanced (Frontal) Air Bag Systems
Beginning with 2004 vehicles, advanced air bag systems are required in a portion of each manufacturer’s production. By September 1, 2006, all new vehicles will have advanced (frontal) air bag systems. The charts included in this web site indicate which vehicles are certified to the new Federal standard for advanced air bags.

Advanced air bag systems are a next-generation frontal air bag system designed to further reduce the likelihood of serious injury or death to occupants, whether adults or children, who may be too close to the air bag when it deploys. Most advanced air bag systems use sensors that automatically detect the severity of the crash, the occupant’s size, safety belt use, and/or seating position, and deploy the appropriate level of power to the driver’s and passenger’s frontal air bags.

You will need to talk with the dealer or review the owner’s manual to learn more about the specific features and sensor technologies in use as part of the advanced air bag system. Reduce the risk of injury from any frontal air bag by observing the following:

• Buckle your safety belt.
• Keep about 10 inches or more between your chest and the air bag cover.
• Never place a rear-facing infant seat in front of an air bag, even a reduced-power or advanced air bag, unless the air bag on-off switch is in the OFF position.
• Place children age 12 and under in the back seat, and make sure they are properly restrained, either in a safety belt or a child safety seat that is appropriate for their size, weight, and age.

Warning!!! Even with advanced air bags, children can be killed or seriously injured by air bags. Always put children age 12 and under in the rear seat.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and www.safercar.gov