Scania spruiks curtain airbag safety

Side curtain airbags are fitted as standard to Australian versions of Scania’s new truck generation models to help protect the occupants in the event of a rollover.

The airbags are optional in other markets but our long hauls and less-then-perfect roads convinced Scania's Australian arm to make them a standard safety feature, unless a customer specifically deems otherwise.

Related reading:
Hi-vis goes hi-tech
Record orders for Scania in 2018
Scania: autonomous trucks need real-world experience

When fitted, the airbags are integrated into the headliner moulding above the doors. Scania says they "provide significantly-enhanced protection for those travelling in the vehicle in the event of a rollover, which is one of the most serious types of truck accidents".

"Our rollover side curtain airbag – particularly when combined with the steering wheel airbag and our seatbelt pre-tensioners – ensures that the driver and any passengers on board will have a much better chance of surviving a rollover accident in one of the new generation of Scania trucks, with far less severe consequences than would be the case in any other truck," says Christofer Karlsson, who was responsible for the development of Scania's crash safety system.

Truck rollovers commonly occur when the driver is forced to carry out evasive action to avoid an oncoming vehicle or obstruction. If the truck then ends up off the road, there is rarely sufficient load-bearing capacity, so the vehicle may topple onto its side or even roll over at higher speeds.

Advanced systems with sensors determine when and if the rollover side curtain airbags and any other airbags should be deployed; when deployed, the airbags inflate almost instantly.