Year 10 Physical Science: Vehicle Safety: Airbags

If momentum changes in a very small time period, such as in a car crash, then the force is very great. If the momentum can be changed over a longer period of time, even a fraction of a second more, much less force needs to be applied and this results in less damage to the car or injury to the occupants.

In a collision, a car's airbag has a tiny fraction of a second in which to inflate—which is why airbags use explosives.

Since model year 1998, all new cars sold in the United States have been required to have airbags on both driver and passenger sides. To date, statistics show that airbags reduce the risk of dying in a direct frontal crash by about 30 percent.

For several years, the side curtain airbag has earned higher safety ratings for passenger cars and minivans. Recently, though, automakers are finding new ways to adapt side curtain technology specifically for niche applications, especially in high-risk vehicles.

Explanation with diagrams