KIA Rio_Rio5 2005 - Manual (Page 59)

3-49
The air bags will completely inflate and deflate in
less than 1/10 of one second. The speed of inflation
and deflation protects the driver’s ability to operate the
vehicle. This is important in crashes where a vehicle
continues to move after an impact and the driver still
has some control of the vehicle’s steering, braking,
throttle and/or transmission systems.
It is virtually impossible for you to see the air bags
inflate during an accident. It is much more likely that
you will simply see the deflated air bags hanging out
of their storage compartments after the collision.
In order to help provide protection in a severe colli-
sion, the air bags must inflate rapidly. However, that
speed also causes the air bags to expand with a great
deal of force. The speed of this inflation has been
determined by the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards (CMVSS) to reduce the likelihood of serious
or life-threatening injuries and is thus a mandatory part
of air bag design.
Thus, air bag inflation could also cause injuries which
normally can include facial abrasions, bruises and bro-
ken bones. However, there are even circumstances
under which contact with the steering wheel air bag
can cause fatal injuries, especially if the occupant is
positioned excessively close to the steering wheel.
1S2104009
Steering wheel
air bag
RIO ENG CNA 3.qxd 7/29/05 5:13 PM Page 49