1996 Buick Regal Owner's Manual - Page 36

How does an air bag restrain? In moderate to severe frontalor near-frontal collisions, the even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or instrument panel. The air bag supplements the protection provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's upper body, stopping the occupant more gradually. But air bags would not help you in many types of collisions, including rollovers, rear impacts and side impacts, primarily because an occupant's motion is not toward the air bag. Air bags should never be regarded as anything more than a supplement to safety belts, and then only in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions. When an air bag inflates, there is dust in the air. This dust could cause breathing problems for people with a history of asthma or other breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the vehicle should get out soon asit is safe to do so. as If you have breathing problems but can't get out of the vehicle after an bag inflates, then get air fresh air by opening a window or door. In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag, windshields are broken by vehicle deformation. Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the right front passenger's air bag. What will you see after an air bag inflates? After the air bag inflates, it quickly deflates. This occurs so quickly that some peoplemay not even realize the air bag inflated. Some componentsof the air bag module in the steering wheel hub for the driver's air bag, orthe instrument panel for the right front passenger's bag, will be hot for a short time. The part of the bag that comes into contact with you may be warm, but it will never be too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust coming from vents in the deflated air bags. Air bag inflation will not prevent the driver from seeing or from being able to steer the vehicle, nor will it stop people from leaving the vehicle. The air bags are designed to inflate only once. After they inflate, you'll need some new parts for your air bag system. If you don't get them, the air bag system won't be there to help protect you in another crash. A new system will include air bag modules and possibly other parts. The service manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.