1999 Oldsmobile Intrigue Owner's Manual - Page 32

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, rearimpacts and 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. be warm, but not too hot totouch. There will be some smoke and dust coming from vents in thedeflated air bags. Air bag inflation doesn't prevent the driver from the seeing or from being able to steer vehicle, nor does it stoppeople from leaving the vehicle. What will you seeafter an airbag inflates? After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly that some people may not even realize the air bag inflated. Some components of the air bag module -- the steering wheel hub for the driver's air bag, or the instrument panel for the right front passenger's bag -- will be hot for a short time. The parts of the bag that come into contact with you may When an airbag inflates, there is dust in the air. This dust could causebreathing problems for people witha history of asthma or other breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the vehicle should get out as soon as it is safeto do so. If you have breathing problems but can't getout of the vehicle after anair bag inflates, then get fresh air by opening a window or door. 1-24