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18 minute read Published on Jun 14, 2026 by BrokerLink Communications
A collision can unfold in the blink of an eye, where one moment you’re just driving along, and the next, your vehicle is suddenly forced into a situation where your body can’t respond fast enough to avoid injury. That’s where airbags come in to save the day. Modern cars rely on layered safety systems that react faster than any of us ever could, to help keep you and your passengers safe. Airbags are part of this system. Airbags work together with your seat belt to reduce the chance of severe injuries when a sudden impact occurs.
Below, we’ll offer some tips for safe use and walk you through how airbags can sense a collision and deploy instantly, to protect the people inside a vehicle. Have questions about how safety features can affect your car insurance? Talk to a licensed BrokerLink advisor for a free car insurance quote.
If you’ve never been in a collision, try to remember a scene from a movie you’ve seen recently, featuring one. Picture the seconds immediately after the unexpected impact, where they made it look like the whole world had stopped but the passengers’ bodies were moving forward so quickly, they had no time to react. Can you picture it? That’s what the airbag system is for.
Airbags work with your seat belt like a partnership, and rely on a small group of parts working together as a seamlessly coordinated pit crew that keeps everyone in the vehicle safe. The car has built-in sensors in specific areas that keep track of any sudden changes in speed and force. The sensors send that information to the airbag control module, which decides if the crash is serious enough to deploy. If it is, an electric signal triggers a quick reaction and the folded fabric cushion fills in an instant.
Most newer vehicles in Canada carry several types of airbags, from front and side to curtain or knee protection spread around the cabin, so the system can respond to different kinds of collisions. They only deploy when the impact is strong enough to help prevent real harm, often in moderate to severe crashes where head and chest injuries are most likely.
Airbags come into play in some of the most dangerous situations on Canadian roads, including front-end collisions, side-impact crashes and high-speed impacts. The latest traffic collision statistics from Transport Canada show that speeding was linked to almost a quarter of fatal collisions in Canada in 2023, while distraction and impairment caused many others. In sudden impacts like these, the airbag system can soften the blow in the split second when people are most likely to be injured.
Another reason that it’s important to know how they work is because of your auto insurance. Some safety features that help prevent or lessen the impact of a crash, like lane departure warning, can help support safer driving and protect your driving record. The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) notes that dual and side airbags are a factor under the Canadian Loss Experience Automobile Rating (CLEAR) system for a lower ranking, meaning that if your car has them, it may help qualify you for lower rates or discounts, depending on the insurer and policy.
When you understand that an airbag opens with a lot of force, it can help you understand why it’s important for you to be in a safe seating position, using proper posture and sitting a reasonable distance from the steering wheel or dashboard, so the airbags can do their job at the right moment and help you avoid an airbag-related injury.
A crash puts enormous forces into motion, and airbag deployment is designed to react to those forces before the people inside even have time to feel them. Every part of the system has a specific job, from sensing the impact to filling the cushion that meets you in the next instant. Here’s how that chain of actions unfolds:
The impact causes the vehicle to jolt and stop, but your body tries to continue forward (i.e., Newton’s First Law of Motion).
Small sensors tucked into the frame sense the sudden change in speed and direction of the force, and tell the airbag control module.
The control module reads how strong the hit was, where it came from and whether the front or rear passenger seat(s) is being used.
When the signs point to a serious collision, the module sends an electric signal to the inflator tucked behind the trim.
The inflator reacts instantly. Some systems create nitrogen gas through a quick chemical reaction, while others release gas that was stored under pressure.
The folded fabric snaps open as the gas pours in and it bursts out at up to 322 kilometres per hour, becoming fully inflated within 10 to 50 milliseconds.
By the time you feel yourself being thrown forward, the airbag is already there as a barrier between you and the hardest parts of the cabin. It takes the brunt of the impact to protect your head, neck and chest.
As your weight presses into the fabric, small vents release the gas so the cushion gives way beneath you and slows your body over a slightly longer time, reducing the crash forces on it. It may leave the cabin filled with a harmless white powder that helps keep the folded fabric from sticking together before it’s deployed.
Let's take a closer look at how airbags deploy and in what situations.
Both. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) lists the speed at which airbags deploy when a crash that feels like hitting a solid wall as:
Wearing a seat belt: 26 kilometres per hour
Not wearing a seat belt: 16 to 19 kilometres per hour
Airbag(s) tends to deploy at a higher speed for those wearing seat belts because the belt slows the body early in the crash and can prevent serious forward movement at lower speeds.
Today, some passenger cars go far beyond having combination or dual airbags to a full suite of airbags that are placed around the cabin to help protect people in different types of crashes. Below, we explain some of the different types of airbags and how they protect a vehicle’s occupants. Here's what you should know:
Frontal airbags are what most people think of when they think of airbags in a car. These front airbags generally deploy within the first 20-50 milliseconds of the impact from the:
Steering wheel for the driver’s airbag
Dashboard for the front passenger’s airbag
That means the driver airbag and passenger airbag are the primary cushions used in a frontal crash. They are intended to cushion a person’s head, neck and chest in front-end collisions by preventing them from smashing into the dashboard, the steering wheel or the windshield. In Canada, all new passenger vehicles, light trucks and vans sold since 1999 have included these airbags, and in the U.S., the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act led to airbags being required in every new car sold from model year 1998, with light trucks following in 1999, recognizing that frontal collisions are still some of the most dangerous crashes on Canadian roads.
Frontal airbags can reduce the risk of serious injury significantly, especially when paired with a lap and shoulder belt. Research from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the IIHS shows that this combination lowers the risk of death in a frontal crash by 61%, compared with 50% for belts alone. Out of 1,000 people, that’s an extra 110 lives saved. A front airbag can also deploy during certain side impacts if the force of the crash pushes the person forward.
Side airbags are usually located in the seats of the vehicle, specifically the backrests of the front seats. These airbags are designed to protect a person’s head, chest or torso from hitting the side structure of the car, or the item or vehicle that may have struck them.
Because there is less space between the driver or passenger and the object to the side of them, side airbags generally inflate within the first 10-20 milliseconds of the impact. They may also inflate in certain types of frontal crashes. There are multiple types of side airbag systems:
Torso- and pelvis-protecting airbags that deploy from the seat
Side curtain airbags that deploy from the roof rail or door
Combination airbags that deploy from the seatback to protect both the head and torso
You’ll find knee airbags tucked beneath the steering column or lower dashboard, waiting for the moment when someone’s legs are thrown forward in a crash. When they open, they help:
Steady the lower body
Keep the legs from striking hard structures
Help guide a person into a safer, upright position as the frontal airbag inflates
This extra support can also prevent “submarining,” where the body slides under the lap belt during a severe impact. Some vehicles offer knee protection only for the driver, while others may extend it to all front seat occupants.
If you haven’t heard of a front-centre or far-side airbag yet, you’re not alone. It’s actually a newer design that was first introduced in only higher-end vehicles, but is now starting to appear in more mainstream models.
In a side-impact crash, the force can push the driver and passenger toward each other with surprising speed, so this airbag inflates between the two front seats to create a soft wall that helps prevent the driver’s and front passenger’s heads and shoulders from colliding. It will likely expand from either:
The inner side of the driver’s seat, or
Out of the middle of the seatback
Rear seats can have a few different types of airbags, but their availability still varies widely across models. The most common ones are:
Rear-side curtain airbags that extend along the length of the back windows to protect the heads of rear passengers
Rear side-impact airbags are sometimes built into the outer rear seats to protect the torso and pelvis, though they are less common
Another newer airbag design you may not know of is rear-seat frontal airbags. These newer airbags have been emerging in select vehicles, including some premium SUVs and electric models. They’re made to deploy from the back of the front seat to help cushion rear passengers in severe front-end collisions. According to the IIHS, these airbags open with a gentler burst than traditional airbags, and they inflate only partway to allow the cushion to bend or give if it touches a child seat or another object rather than hitting it with full force.
Please note that for any type of airbag, wearing your seat belt and sitting in a natural, upright position are essential for making sure that the cushion meets you at the right moment and in the right place to give you the best chance of walking away from a crash with fewer injuries.
You may think that all airbags look similar once they’re opened, but did you know that the way they’re built and tuned changes from one vehicle to the next? Because every cabin has its own shape and distance between its occupants and the interior, every model is built to handle a crash differently. These differences between makes and even models will influence:
When an airbag decides to open.
How fast it inflates.
The size and shape of the cushion.
Transport Canada notes that airbags can vary in their deployment speed, force and overall design, which is why the same type of crash can feel different depending on the vehicle you’re in. Some vehicles may use older systems where their sensors only trigger deployment in fairly hard impacts. Other models may use more advanced airbag systems that pay closer attention to things like seat-belt use, how hard the impact is and may even sense how close someone is sitting to the wheel or dash.
With that information, the airbag can decide whether it needs to open with more or less force, or when to wait until the exact moment that it can help the most. This means that two vehicles in similar collisions may produce very different bursts of energy from their airbags because they’re responding to different cues.
Further, a compact car may use a smaller, carefully folded bag that fills the space quickly without overwhelming the driver, while a larger SUV may rely on a deeper cushion that reaches farther across the cabin. Some modern designs may even use internal tethers that can help the bag inflate into the right shape at exactly the right time, all to help reduce injuries.
Airbags work best when the people in the vehicle give them the space and support they need. How you sit, how you buckle up and even how old your vehicle is can change the way the airbag protects you in a crash, and may even prevent potential injuries from the airbag itself. Take a look:
Your seat belt is what helps set the stage for the airbag. It steadies your body so the cushion meets you at the right moment and in the right place instead of the wrong one. The Canada Safety Council notes that seat belts save approximately 1,000 lives per year in Canada.
This is because riding unbelted leaves you far more vulnerable. Without a belt, your body moves toward the steering wheel or dash much earlier in the crash, increasing the chance of being too close when the airbag opens. Remember how we mentioned how the NHTSA and the IIHS data shows that a front airbag and a snug lap-and-shoulder belt reduce the risk of death in a frontal collision by about 61%? Without the seatbelt, just an airbag on its own only lowers the risk by 34%.
Did you know that Transport Canada recommends keeping 25 centimetres between the centre of the steering wheel and the centre of your chest? This is because that amount of distance can give the airbag enough room to open and cushion you without striking you with unnecessary force.
If you are leaning forward, slouching or sitting inches from the wheel, it shortens that space and creates an increased risk of injuries to the face, neck or chest from direct contact with a deploying airbag. In fact, Transport Canada notes that the risk of airbag injury or death is at its highest if you’re sitting within eight centimetres of where the airbag deploys from.
Young kids are especially vulnerable to injuries or death from improper airbag use. According to Canadian guidance, children aged 12 and under are safest when riding in the back seat and out of the front airbag’s reach. If they must ride in the front seat, it’s important that you follow the guidelines from Transport Canada. Airbags are also one of the main reasons why rear-facing child seats should never go in the front seat if the airbag is active. Shorter drivers or passengers should adjust their seats and backrests so they sit as far back from the steering wheel or dash as practical without compromising their control or comfort. That will help make sure the airbag still inflates at the right distance.
According to the IIHS, using both seatbelts and airbags together will offer the best protection when the driver is pregnant. It says to position the lap belt across the pelvic bones or high up on the thighs and to keep a 25-centimetre clearance between the belly and the steering column. This is because having your seatbelt fit properly and your seating position matter more than ever in this situation. If your passenger is pregnant, it may be safer for them to ride in the back seat.
As we mentioned earlier, not every vehicle carries the same airbag technology. Depending on how old a car is, it may not have an airbag system that can sense seat-belt use or adjust its deployment force. This means that the outdated airbag design may deploy with a fixed force, which could increase the risk of injury in less severe crashes or for certain occupants.
Just like with any other part of a vehicle, some airbags have been recalled in the past because they’ve failed to deploy correctly or posed safety risks. It’s important to check with your vehicle manufacturer or Transport Canada’s Motor Vehicle Safety Recall Database, now and then, to make sure your airbags aren’t on it. Faulty recalled components can cause serious injury, fatal injuries or even death.
When your vehicle’s safety systems work the way they were designed to, they can reduce the severity of injuries in a collision. That can, in turn, help protect your driving record and may also influence your future insurance costs. To learn how this connects to your own coverage, reach out to a licensed BrokerLink advisor.
An airbag warning light symbol generally looks like a person sitting with a large circle in front of them. If you see this illuminated, it’s your vehicle’s way of telling you that there’s something wrong with its airbag system. This means there’s a possibility that your airbags won’t work properly if you’re in a collision.
It can appear when a sensor has failed, when the wiring under a seat has come loose or when the control module detects something that would prevent an airbag from opening at the right moment. However, the light doesn’t tell you which part is affected, just that the system can’t be trusted as it is.
Therefore, a warning light is never something that you should ignore. If the warning light comes on, it’s essential for you to have a qualified mechanic look at your vehicle right away. Also, it’s a good habit to keep an eye on Transport Canada’s Motor Vehicle Safety Recall Database once in a while to make sure your vehicle isn’t on it for a safety issue.
Truthfully, many people never even think about airbags until the instant they need them. This can make it challenging for someone to know how to keep themselves safe if they deploy. If you’re reading this, it’s probably because you’re ready to be proactive about learning how to stay safe with airbags and for that, we offer these helpful airbag safety tips below:
A seat belt is there to help steady your body long before the airbag appears. It will keep you anchored so the cushion can reach you in a controlled way, instead of meeting you too early or too forcefully. Even if you’re just making a short trip to the store or running to school drop-off and back, you still need to wear your seat belt properly, and that means:
The shoulder strap is across your chest and not behind your arm or back.
The lap belt is low across your hips.
Both parts of the seatbelt are lying flat and not twisted.
Most drivers are safest when they’re sitting:
At least 25 centimetres back from the wheel or dashboard
With their shoulders touching the back of the driver’s seat
With their feet flat on the floor (except for the driver’s right foot)
If you are sitting too close, leaning forward at stop lights or slouching toward the steering wheel, it narrows the space the airbag has to open quickly and safely. Smaller adults may need to slide the seat back and tilt the backrest upright, to create the recommended distance without sacrificing their control of the vehicle.
If your vehicle has side airbags in the seats or doors, they are designed to offer protection to the occupant’s head and upper body, so it’s important that you don’t rest your shoulder or head against the door panel. Many vehicles place side airbags that open with incredible speed inside the door or the edge of the seat, so leaning directly on top of where they’re going to open can lead to injuries when they deploy.
Kids aged 12 and under should be kept away from the front passenger side airbag by sitting in the back seat, and rear-facing car seats should never be used in the front passenger seat if the airbag is active. If you have an older child but the seat belt still sits across their neck or stomach, or a younger one who must sit in the front seat, consider using a booster that lifts them high enough for the seat belt to lie correctly across their chest and hips.
Things like custom seat covers, steering wheel wraps, dash covers and clip-on accessories may seem harmless, but some can block an airbag or affect the way it opens. Airbags are built to push through seams that are designed to split cleanly, so if an accessory covers a seam or panel where an airbag is stored, it may tangle in the fabric or burst through the wrong way and send pieces into the cabin. It’s best to use only the accessories that your vehicle manufacturer approves of.
Warning lights aren’t suggestions. If you see one on your dashboard, it’s trying to warn you that there’s a problem with the sensors or wiring that help the airbags deploy at the right time. If the light turns on, have your vehicle checked by a qualified mechanic as soon as you can.
Pregnant drivers can stay safer by gently adjusting the steering wheel upward, keeping the lap belt low across the hips or pelvic bone and allowing as much room as safely possible between the abdomen and the steering wheel.
Once the dust settles, the first step is making sure vehicle occupants are safe and getting medical attention if needed. After that, the focus shifts to the vehicle itself. The fact of the matter is that an airbag can’t be folded back into place or reused once it’s been deployed. Generally, what happens is the entire module will need to be replaced, along with any sensors or wiring that was damaged during the collision.
A licensed mechanic will likely begin by removing the deployed airbags and checking the surrounding interior panels, steering wheel or dash and the vehicle’s wiring harness for hidden damage. From there, they may:
Replace the airbag module.
Recalibrate or replace the crash sensors.
Reset or reprogram the airbag control unit.
Replace any damaged wheel, seats or trim pieces or the dashboard.
When everything is back in place, the mechanic or a technician will run a full diagnostic test to make sure that the airbag warning light clears and the airbag systems are fully restored and ready to protect the people in the vehicle the next time it’s needed. Please note, it’s important that vehicle owners use a licensed and trustworthy mechanic or other licensed repair shop to replace airbags and avoid counterfeit parts by relying on qualified professionals.
No. But while a deployed airbag doesn’t necessarily total a car, it does increase the repair cost quite a bit and makes a total-loss outcome a lot more likely, depending on the vehicle’s value.
Because airbag replacements can be expensive, most people tend to turn to their car insurance provider for help. In many cases, airbag repairs or replacements are handled under your collision coverage, along with any other damage from the crash, unless you were not at fault, in which case it would fall under the other driver’s third-party liability coverage.
An adjuster will be assigned to your claim to determine whether the cost of repairing the vehicle exceeds its value. If that happens, the insurer may consider the car a total loss. If you have questions about whether your policy covers airbag deployment or what to do after your car is deemed a total loss, a licensed BrokerLink advisor can help you understand what comes next.
If you have questions about how you can save on your insurance by having vehicle safety features, contact BrokerLink today. One of our licensed insurance advisors can explain how certain vehicle safety features can lead to lower premiums.
We can also help you find affordable car insurance today. You can request a car insurance quote using our free online quote tool, give us a call, send us an email or visit us at any one of our locations throughout Canada. Our licensed insurance experts are ready to help!
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