Air Bag Protects from Side Crashes

Chevy4
When it comes to passenger safety, can a vehicle ever have too many air bags?

Apparently not. That's why GM is introducing the first front center air bag designed to protect drivers and and front seat passengers in the event of often deadly "t-bone" collisions, which account for 11 percent of car accident fatalities.

The tethered, tubular air bag deploys on the right side of the driver's seat and inflates just over the center console, providing a restraint during passenger side accidents. The air bag also acts as a cushion between driver and passenger.

“While no restraint technology can address all body regions or all potential injuries, the front center air bag is designed to work with the other air bags and safety belts in the vehicles to collectively deliver an even more comprehensive occupant restraint system,” said Gay Kent, GM executive director of Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness in a news release.

The front center air bag, which took over three years to develop, will be unveiled on 2013 models of the Buick Enclave, the GMC Arcadia and Chevrolet Traverse midsize crossovers.

“The front center airbag has real potential to save lives in side crashes,” said Adrian Lund, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

discovery.com