21st Century - Passenger Restraint

Passenger restraint devices are (1) seat belts, (2) air bags, and (3) knee diverter.   The Knee diverter (bolster) made usually of thick plastic located below the dashboard.   It prevents front seat occupants from injury on the metal frame of the dash.   It also prevents them from sliding under the air bags when they are activated.   Seat belts and air bags are described below.

Seat belts are strong nylon straps that hold occupants to their seats during a collision.

Air bags are inflated and released for 1/20th of a second at 200 mph at the start of a collision by electronic impact sensors located in the front of the body.   The older cars had only a driver air bag, but the newer cars have an additional air bag for the front seat passenger.   Air bags are made of strong nylon, so they will not break upon impact.

Front air bags shoot out faster than the occupant body moves forward, thus stopping his/her forward momentum.

Side air bags are activated by a side collision to prevent a front-seat occupant from slamming into the side door.