2012 Chevrolet Corvette Owner's Manual - Page 84

3-18 Seats and Restraints { WARNING If something is between an occupant and an airbag, the airbag might not inflate properly or it might force the object into that person causing severe injury or even death. The path of an inflating airbag must be kept clear. Do not put anything between an occupant and an airbag, and do not attach or put anything on the steering wheel hub or on or near any other airbag covering. Do not use seat accessories that block the inflation path of a seat-mounted side impact airbag. When Should an Airbag Inflate? Frontal airbags are designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal or near frontal crashes to help reduce the potential for severe injuries mainly to the driver's or front outboard passenger's head and chest. However, they are only designed to inflate if the impact exceeds a predetermined deployment threshold. Deployment thresholds are used to predict how severe a crash is likely to be in time for the airbags to inflate and help restrain the occupants. Whether the frontal airbags will or should deploy is not based primarily on how fast the vehicle is traveling. It depends on what is hit, the direction of the impact, and how quickly the vehicle slows down. Driver Side Shown, Passenger Side Similar The driver and front outboard passenger seat-mounted side impact airbags are in the side of the seatbacks closest to the door.