Airbags usually deploy when impact exceeds which condition?

Airbags usually deploy when impact exceeds which condition?

• A. Over 10 MPH into a fixed object
• B. Over 20 MPH into a fixed object
• C. Over 5 MPH into any object
• D. Over 15 MPH into moving object

Answer: (A)

Airbags deploy when the vehicle experiences rapid deceleration that could injure occupants. The system’s sensors look for a sudden change in velocity and forces that indicate a serious crash. Hitting a fixed, immovable object creates a much larger and quicker deceleration than hitting something that can move or absorb energy, so the trigger is set around ten miles per hour into a fixed object. This helps ensure airbags go off in genuinely dangerous crashes while avoiding false deployments in minor bumps. The other options either imply too high or too low a speed, or involve moving objects where the energy transfer can be different, so they aren’t the standard trigger.

Airbags deploy when the vehicle experiences rapid deceleration that could injure occupants. The system’s sensors look for a sudden change in velocity and forces that indicate a serious crash. Hitting a fixed, immovable object creates a much larger and quicker deceleration than hitting something that can move or absorb energy, so the trigger is set around ten miles per hour into a fixed object. This helps ensure airbags go off in genuinely dangerous crashes while avoiding false deployments in minor bumps. The other options either imply too high or too low a speed, or involve moving objects where the energy transfer can be different, so they aren’t the standard trigger.