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Air bags have proven to be a big life saver when it comes to car accidents. While seat belts were a major safety breakthrough due to the fact that they kept a person from being ejected from the vehicle during an accident, there are still some people who do not use them every time they drive. Air bags help to protect even these people from possible injury by preventing them from making contact with the steering wheel and the dashboard.
An air bag is literally a flexible bag that is fills quickly with air in the event of a collision. These bags are then inserted into various locations of the car. Air bags for the driver and front passengers have been available in most cars since the early 1990s. Popular places for car manufacturers to put airbags include the steering wheel and the compartment above the glove compartment.
In recent years, car manufacturers have added air bags to the sides of vehicles as well as various other locations in the front. These additions are designed to help protect people in the event that a side collusion or rollover occurs.
Since air bags have been designed to inflate rather quickly, they can be forceful when doing so. Due to this force, it is forbidden that children under the age of 12 and those in child safety seats sit in the front seat if it has an air bag. People who are petite need to make sure that they sit as far back from the air bag as possible.
