A 1972 Mercury equipped with an experimental Air-Bag/ Lap-Belt Restraint System collided with a garbage truck at an intersection in Santa Barbara, California, triggering the first air-bag deployment in a "real-world" accident. The lap-belted Mercury driver received minor injuries. However, the occupant protection potential of the experimental airbag was not tested since the bag covers only the right-front occupant and that seat was unoccupied. The air-bag module is located low in the instrument panel, in the area ordinarily occupied by the glove compartment. It is intended to supplement the right-front lap-belt restraint by cushioning the forward motion of the right-front occupant if the car becomes involved in a frontal collision of sufficient severity.