- During moderate to severe frontal crashes, frontal air bags inflate to prevent occupants from hitting the interior of the vehicle.
- Frontal air bags do not eliminate the need for safety belts.
- Occupants who are unbelted or out of position can be seriously injured or killed if they are too close to the air bag module when it deploys.
- Frontal air bags typically do not offer protection in rollovers, side-impact or rear-end crashes.
- Frontal air bags, either 1st or 2nd generation, also known as "depowered" air bags, have been standard equipment in all passenger cars since model year 1998 and all SUVs, pickup trucks and vans since model year 1999.
- Advanced frontal air bags, or 3rd generation, are being phased into new model year 2004 vehicles. All light vehicles will have advanced frontal air bags by model year 2007.
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