All vehicles utilize some sort of knee bolster below the dash to keep front-seat occupants from sliding out from under their seatbelts in a frontal collision. The automotive industry's first knee airbag appeared on the 1996 model Kia Sportage ( pronounced SPOR-tedge) vehicle and is standard equipment since that model. Kia is the first maker to use an airbag beneath the steering column for this purpose. The Sportage, a sport utility vehicle, is now available in more than 25 states and over 240 new car showrooms in the U.S.

The automotive industry's first knee airbag appears on the Kia Motors Spotage vehicle

One component of Kia's two-part driver-side safety system uses a steering-column mounted airbag unit that rescue personnel are familiar with. The second part of the driver's safety system is a first of its kind knee airbag module. The small bag is triggered by the same sensor as the steering wheel and passenger front airbag. But because of its smaller size, it inflates faster than a regular airbag to ensure its effectiveness.

When deployed along with the traditional driver's side chest airbag, the knee bag can be significantly more effective in reducing driver chest injuries than the more common single steering column-mounted airbag system.

Located below the steering column, the knee airbag is designed to deploy against the driver's lower legs, reducing the forward momentum of the driver's lower body under the dashboard during a frontal impact collision. By re-distributing the forces against the driver's body and by helping to maintain the driver in a more upright position, the driver then receives greater protection from the Kia's occupant restraint system.

Kia's full frame is constructed with six crossmembers. Frame rails are box shaped. Note that the fuel tank is located inside the frame for crash protection.

The knee airbag extends approximately 4.7 inches (120 millimeters) when fully inflated. This location helps protect the driver's knees and lower legs, areas that are susceptible to significant injuries in frontal collisions. The deployment of the knee bag pushes a bolster against the driver's lower legs, contacting the legs at approximately the knee cap level and cushioning the leg down to approximately the shin and ankle area.

The actual driver steering column and knee airbag system is manufactured in northern Utah for Kia by Automotive Safety Products Division of Morton International. The airbag units are then shipped to Korea and installed in Kia's Asan Bay assembly plant. Morton International is the world's leading manufacturer of airbag modules and inflators.

Medical and rescue emergency responders must remain aware of the inflation zones of both the column-mounted airbag, the knee bag on the driver's side, and the passenger's side front airbag of the Sportage. Personnel performing medical and extrication activities to rescue occupants of the Sportage should avoid placing their equipment or themselves within these inflation zones if the Kia's airbag system has not deployed. Taking away the vehicle's electrical power early in our scene activities remains a priority that should be adhered to.

In addition to the dual front and knee airbag systems, the frame and sheet metal "crumple zones" in front of the Sportage progressively absorb the impact of a frontal collision, reducing forces into the passenger compartment.

Located below the steering column, the Kia knee airbag deploys against the driver's legs

Other safety features on the Kia Sportage include the common steel side-door impact beams for strengthening the four doors. A collapsible steering column is designed with specific points to fold or collapse during a collision. Collapsible steering column designs are one reason that rescue teams resort to total dash movement instead of direct movement of just the steering column.

A new design for the Kia hood hinge also acts specifically to deter hood intrusion into the passenger compartment during frontal collisions.

The vehicle has four three-point seat belt systems and built-in rear seat headrests. There is a center lap belt-only unit for the middle rear seat occupant. EMS personnel must remember that lap-belt only seat belt designs perform differently than three-point systems where the shoulder harness is properly worn. Mechanisms of injury in the same collision can be uniquely different between the occupants belted with the two different types of seat belts systems.

The Kia Spotage's specially designed hood hinge minimizes hood intrusion into the windshield. Designed "crumple" areas will fold or hinge the hood in a crash

Kia advertises a special "non-jamming" door mechanism on its Kia Sportage, a feature designed to resist jamming of the door in a collision. The now common child-safety door locks allow the rear doors to be opened only from the outside when activated.

The Sportage employs a full frame, ladder-type chassis. The vehicle is not a uni-body vehicle. The box steel tubular frame runs the full length of the vehicle and protects the 15.8 gallon-capacity gas tank between its frame rails.

The Kia Sportage is a four-cylinder, front engine, two or four-wheel drive vehicle weighing slightly over 3,000 pounds with a carrying capacity of five occupants.

Task: Identify components and explain the operation of the Kia driver's side knee airbag supplemental restraint system.