What types of airbags are there in cars?

The most commonly available option, front airbags protect you in head-on or frontal crashes. There are different types of front airbags:

• airbags for first row seats, which are stored in the steering wheel hub or dashboard:

  • driver's head airbag

  • front passenger's head airbag

  • dual-stage front airbags, which inflate to match approximately the size of the person in the car – usually this size judgement is based on the position of the seat

• head airbags for second row seats.

Side impact airbags inflate in a side-on crash to protect people on the crashed side.

• Side torso (chest protecting) airbags protect the torso area only and are usually stored in the seat by the door. Side torso and head airbags also provide head protection.
• Side curtain airbags are stored behind the roof trim, above the doors. They usually cover front and rear windows when they inflate, protecting people in both seats.
• Head side airbags protect your head from coming into contact with the object you've hit. They can prevent fatalities that would otherwise be inevitable in this type of crash.

Knee airbags are a new safety feature that help to keep people in their seated position during a front-on crash. There are two types of knee airbags:

• the driver's knee airbag located below the steering column

• the front passenger's knee airbag located below the glove box.