Airbag question

[minendo]

Are airbags triggered to activate when the car is hit from behind? If so, what kind of force is necessary to trigger them?

If it matters the car in question is a 1999 Honda Civic EX with dual front airbags.

 

[Sluggo]

I would say no, unless getting hit from behind pushes your front end into another car or object. The airbag sensors should be located behind the front bumper.

What happened? I saw the pics posted on Apt808 OUCH :Q

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: Sluggo
I would say no, unless getting hit from behind pushes your front end into another car or object. The airbag sensors should be located behind the front bumper.

What happened? I saw the pics posted on Apt808 OUCH :Q

Details

The reason I ask about the airbags is because they were told by someone at the scene that the car has rear airbag sensors and the guy even pointed them out. Of course, the airbags never deployed so I wanted to know if said sensors actually exist and if so, why the airbags were not deployed.

 

[Nyical]

Nope they sure don't, on 4/9 I got hit in the rear also , only doing 20mph and the guy hit me doing 80mph
and pushed me into the guard rail and totalled the front of my truck as well as the rear and still no airbad deployment. I was driving my 99 S-10.

 

[Sluggo]

Found this for the 01 Civic:

SRS -- Advanced Technology Airbags
The 2001 Civic is equipped with a driver's and front passenger's airbag Supplemental Restraint System (SRS). It is similar to the advanced airbag system used in the some 2000 Acura models. This system has three sensors -- including a front sensor, buckle switches to tell if front seat occupants have their seat belts buckled, and a dual-stage inflator to match the airbag deployment speed with seatbelt use and the severity of the crash.

Dual-Stage Inflator Driver and Passenger Airbag System
In the event of a moderate to severe frontal collision, the SRS system in the 2001 Civic can determine the inflation rate depending on the severity of the collision and front seat occupant seat belt use.

When the front seat occupants are wearing their seat belts during slower speed collisions, the inflator system is triggered in sequence, resulting in slower overall airbag deployment with less initial force.
In other collisions, both inflators operate simultaneously for full, immediate inflation, to correspond with the greater impact force.