Abstract: A device for testing vehicle occupant restraint systems for a side impact, with a target carriage (10) which is provided with a structure (12) in which there are mounted a seat (14) for a test dummy (16), an imitation (18) of the lower region of a vehicle side structure and the side impact restraint system (20) to be tested, and with an impact carriage (22) which is provided with a pushing surface (24) associated with the imitation (18) of the lower region of the vehicle side structure, the impact carriage (22) and the target carriage (10) being movable relative to each other such that an impact of the pushing surface (24) and the imitation (18) of the lower region of the vehicle side structure onto each other can be brought about at a predetermined speed, is characterized in that the structure (12) is additionally provided with at least one imitation (28) of the upper region of a vehicle side structure and that the impact carriage (22) is provided with an upper pushing surface (36) arranged above the lower p

Abstract: A gas bag side impact protection device for vehicle occupants comprises a compressed gas source and an inflatable gas bag. The gas bag has a first chamber inflatable at the side of the thorax of an occupant and a second inflatable chamber. The second chamber is inflatable at the side of the pelvis of the occupant and the chambers are able to be filled by the compressed gas source in such a way that they have different internal pressures in the filled state.