Safercar.gov

During a side-impact crash, a side-impact air bag (SAB) inflates in a fraction of a second to protect an occupant's head and/or chest from striking objects inside the vehicle.
There are three main types of side-impact air bags (SABs): Chest (torso), Head (including tubular and curtain varieties), and Head/Chest (combo).
Some SABs can also protect an occupant from striking objects outside the vehicle in a side-impact crash; however, chest (torso) SABs do not provide this kind of protection.
Curtain-variety head SABs may help provide protection from ejection in a rollover crash.
Some new convertibles include head SABs that deploy upwards from the window sill.
Although not government-required safety devices, SABs are currently offered as standard or optional equipment on many new passenger vehicles.
Like frontal air bags, side-impact air bags do not take the place of seat belts, but are supplemental restraints.
Information about a vehicle's SAB system is included in the vehicle owner's manual and is also available by searching the our database by make, model, and year.

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