NBXs.org

by Taras S. Rudnitsky
Air Bag Attorney and Former Air Bag Engineer

While all new vehicles sold today must have frontal air bags that deploy from the steering wheel and dash to protect you in a frontal crash, many also have side air bags to shield you during side impact collisions.

This article explains how side air bags work, the different types of side air bags, and how to identify possible defects and the injuries they cause.

How Side Air Bags Work

Side air bags are sometimes called side impact air bags and are abbreviated as SAB or SIAB. They are designed to protect you when your car is struck on the side, such as during an intersection (T-bone) accident or if your car slides off the road and its side hits a tree or utility pole.

Crash sensors for side air bags are usually installed inside the bottom of the “B-pillar,” which is the post behind the front door that helps hold up the roof. In some vehicles, these crash sensors are inside the front door or near the back seat area.

Your car, truck, van or SUV usually has at least one crash sensor on each side of the vehicle. During a side impact crash, one of your side air bag sensors should detect the sideways (lateral) deceleration and send an electrical signal to the air bags to begin inflating.

Side air bags are most commonly installed inside your seat, attached to the upper part of the seat frame nearest the door. In a few vehicles, the side air bags are installed inside your door, beneath the plastic trim cover. These side air bags are designed to provide a protective cushion between you and the side of your car.