In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions, even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection provided by seat belts by distributing the force of the impact more evenly over the occupant's body.
Rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to help contain the head and chest of occupants in the outboard seating positions in the first and second rows. The rollover capable roof-rail airbags are designed to help reduce the risk of full or partial ejection in rollover events, although no system can prevent all such ejections.
But airbags would not help in many types of collisions, primarily because the occupant's motion is not toward those airbags. See When Should an Airbag Inflate?.
Airbags should never be regarded as anything more than a supplement to seat belts.
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate?
What Will You See after an
Airbag Inflates?Seat Belt Latch Stop Installation Doors Door Assembly Latch and Striker
Seat Belt Latch Stop InstallationCalloutComponent NamePreliminary ProcedureLocate the hole in the seat belt webbing where the originalseat belt stop button was located.If the original hole in the seat belt webbing is not visible,perform the following:If either the right or left stop button is missin ...