97-01 Side Impact Air Bag Question

[Descent]

I'm curious about the SAB system on these models, since I can actually afford one as a first car.

Are these torso air bags or are they combo (head+torso) airbags?

[Firewalker]

I'm curious about the SAB system on these models, since I can actually afford one as a first car.

Are these torso air bags or are they combo (head+torso) airbags?

Side airbags are great, in theory, but as a professional Firefighter and Paramedic I have seen side airbags in a different light. Make no mistake, if you are T-boned at speed then you will be glad that you had side airbags, certainly, that is what they were intended to do, to spare you from life threatening trauma. The down side is that during low speed impacts the bags can and do deploy with sufficient force to inflict serious injuries to passengers that may have otherwise been unharmed. I have been on countless runs in which the side bags deployed with a minor accident, pushing passengers heads into each other with quite a force. Cervical sprain being the norm, broken necks being a possibility. They do protect your head and torso to some extent, designed primarily for head vs window and door frame impacts. So long answer, for a short question, yes they will protect your head and torso but may also deploy at incredibly low speed impacts.

[Descent]

AFAIK only the Volvo S80 deploys at low speed impacts.

But do you know what kind of airbags this car has?

[Firewalker]

AFAIK only the Volvo S80 deploys at low speed impacts.

But do you know what kind of airbags this car has?

that I dont but I have seen a lexus es300 deploy airbags at stupid low speeds. It is not only volvos..