Curtain airbags are activated in side impact crashes, for example t-bone crashes, or collisions with trees and poles. They deploy from the top of the door rails above the side window and work by providing cushioning between the driver or passenger’s head and the window.

This one should be easy: Side airbags protect you from a side impact. Usually, curtain airbags cover front and rear seats, though they also can protect third-row passengers in some larger vehicles. Side airbags aren’t limited to torso and curtain airbags.

Side airbags aren’t specifically mandated, but nearly all manufacturers include them as standard equipment in order to meet federal side protection requirements.

Results indicate rollover-activated side curtain airbags in single-vehicle accident rollovers are about 23% effective in reducing fatalities for all belted front outboard occupants, and about 20% effective in reducing fatalities for belted, non-ejected front outboard occupants.

10 Best Cars with Side Airbags

• 2016 Mazda Mazda3.
• 2016 Toyota Camry.
• 2016 Chrysler 200.
• 2016 Honda Civic Coupe.
• 2016 Chevrolet Malibu.
• 2016 MINI Cooper Hardtop 2-Door.
• 2016 Nissan Sentra.
• 2017 Hyundai Elantra.

How Curtain Airbags Work. Sensors around the outside of every vehicle send messages to the airbag module if a collision occurs. If the sensors along the side of your vehicle are impacted, they send an alert that triggers the curtain airbags to deploy.

Side-impact airbags are not required by the NHTSA, but many car manufacturers install them in newer models. To know if your car has curtain airbags, consult your owner’s manual.

10 Best Cars with Side Airbags

• Mazda Mazda3.
• Toyota Camry.
• Chrysler 200.
• Honda Civic Coupe.
• Chevrolet Malibu.
• MINI Cooper Hardtop 2-Door.
• Nissan Sentra.
• Hyundai Elantra.

One of the ways manufactures are providing additional side crash protection is by adding side and/or side curtain airbags. Side impact airbags are not required by NHTSA in vehicles.

Despite not being required by car manufacturers like front air bags, studies show side airbags with protection for your head lower the risk of death in an accident by 37% for drivers in cars, and 52% for drivers in SUVs[*].

approximately 495 mph
Side impact airbags deploy approximately 3 times as fast as the frontal airbags at . 12 to . 25 milliseconds. The leading edge speed of some airbags during deployment may approach speeds of approximately 495 mph.

Usually, curtain airbags cover front and rear seats , though they also can protect third-row passengers in some larger vehicles. Side airbags aren’t limited to torso and curtain airbags. General Motors recently rolled out a new side airbag in its Chevrolet Traverse , GMC Acadia and Buick Enclave SUVs.

If your airbags are either broken or non fuctional and were never deployed, then the cost of replacing them will greatly depend on the car you drive. In most cases, plan on spending $1,000 to $1,500 to replace each airbag if you were to hire a professional mechanic.

Side curtain airbags help minimize the risk of serious head injuries during a vehicle accident. Side impact airbags, which deploy from the seat or the door, are designed to protect the torso. They are also very important in a side impact crash, preventing broken ribs.

Side curtain airbags can be designed to deploy in a rollover crash. Sensors that measure a vehicle’s sideways movement and tilting can detect if a rollover is about to occur, triggering deployment. These airbags typically inflate within the first 10-20 milliseconds of a rollover crash and can remain inflated longer than regular side curtain airbags (10 or more seconds) to protect during multiple-roll crashes.