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Side air bags and such
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Mercedes side bags are in the door above the elbow rest and they provide zero head protection. Curtain bags blow out of the area above the doors, extending down about a foot and deflate slowly, providing head protection in a side impact. The bag extends from just ahead of the A-post to behind the rear door. Some cars have side bags in the side of the front seats, deploying forward and up.
I believe the '05 Porsche Boxster has a side bag that extends high enough up the side window (it's a convertible, remember) to provide head protection. Most likely not if the window's down, I would think.
The new SL now has a knee bag for the driver to prevent submarining under the belt. Don't know about the passenger side. I think I read someplace that Lexus is introducing seatback bags for rear passengers.
I sometimes wonder if somehow they all deployed at once if all the windows would blow out. Goodbye, eardrums, perhaps.
My W203 C320 has door bags, curtain bags and belt tensioners (a one time deal, BTW) but the g-sensors prevent them all from deploying at at once.
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Roger E.
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