Hyundai takes safety issues seriously. That’s why its 2016 Elantra GT
now features a driver’s knee airbag as part of the model’s
comprehensive passive and active safety system. So what makes a knee
airbag such a big deal aside from the fact that it used to be found just
in premium cars? Well, although knee injuries in frontal crashes aren’t
usually fatal, they are sure to cause lifelong disability.
While
seatbelts and frontal airbags help maintain a driver’s distance from
the steering wheel and instrument panel and keeps him from moving out of
position during a collision, they don’t provide adequate restraint for
the hips and legs. In high speed frontal crashes, the knee caps can
shatter as it impacts with the dashboard and other sharp items, such as
keys and accessories, on it. As such, knee airbags are fitted and
deployed from underneath the dashboard to keep the seat occupant’s knees
from crashing on the hard surface.
In addition to minimizing
leg injuries, knee airbags also provide additional protection to the
head and chest area. By reducing the amount of movement of the driver’s
pelvis during a crash, the load on pressure on the chest coming for the
seatbelt is reduced as well. In other words, by limiting movement in the
lower limbs, the driver is able to stay in place to receive maximum
protection provided by the seat belt and frontal airbag.
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