Which airbag requires the greatest minimum distance from the passenger?

The passenger side airbag requires the greatest minimum distance from the passenger primarily due to its deployment characteristics and the potential for injury upon inflation. During a collision, an airbag rapidly deploys, and this rapid expansion can create significant force and movement, which poses a risk of injury to anyone sitting too close, especially a smaller individual.

To ensure safety, the recommended distance between the passenger's seat and the passenger side dashboard where the airbag is deployed is greater than that for the driver's side bag or side impact airbags. This is especially important considering that some occupants – such as children in rear-facing car seats – could be at higher risk when seated too close to an infant or child safety seat.

Additionally, the design of the airbag systems necessitates varying distances based on their respective deployment mechanisms. While side impact airbags and rear passenger airbags are designed to deploy in different scenarios and have less force associated with them, the passenger side airbag deploys with considerable speed and force directly towards the occupant. Therefore, providing the recommended distance from a passenger to the passenger side airbag is crucial for minimizing injury risk during airbag deployment.