According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA, “Frontal airbags have saved 25,782 lives between 1987 and 2008.” However, there are some things that a car owner should know to help minimize injury to the driver and vehicle passengers. Before learning some of the methods of proper airbag usage, it’s important to get a basic understanding of how airbags work.

How Do Airbags Work?

Safety airbags are commonly referred to as Supplemental Restraint Systems (SRS). When vehicle SRS airbags were first introduced, they were used primarily for frontal crashes. In many modern vehicles, they are used for frontal and side impacts as well as rollovers. There are basically three main components used in frontal impact, side impact, and rollover SRSs, the:

  • air bag module
  • crash sensors
  • electronic control unit

Crash sensors measure vehicle movement when an impact occurs. As an example, with a side impact the sensors determine the actual movement of the vehicle from the side. Once the sensor detects rapid movement of an impact, it sends a signal to the electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU then decides if the airbag(s) should be deployed. The ECU may also perform other electronic vehicle functions.