2003 Chevrolet Astro Owner's Manual - Page 74

What Makes an Air Bag Inflate? In an impactof sufficient severity, theair bag sensing is system detects that the vehicle in a crash.The sensing system triggers a release gas from the inflator, which of inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag, related and hardware areall part of the air bag modules inside the steering wheel and in the instrument panel in front of the right front passenger. How Does an Air Bag Restrain? In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions, even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or the instrument panel. Air bags supplement 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 many side impacts, primarily because an occupant's motion is not toward those air bags. 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. 1-67