A restraining device is provided to improve the safety and comfort of a vehicle occupant. The restraining device has a safety belt and an airbag device arranged on the safety belt, which airbag device has a first airbag, which is arranged on the side of the safety belt facing the vehicle occupant, and a second airbag, which is arranged on the side of the safety belt facing away from the vehicle occupant. The first airbag and/or the second airbag can be filled with air and/or can be emptied. A method for operating the restraining device controls the filling state of the first airbag and of the second airbag in an open-loop and/or closed-loop manner in accordance with the state of the motor vehicle provided with the restraining device.

A vehicular airbag control system includes a forward-viewing camera and a radar sensor disposed at a vehicle. The vehicular airbag control system, responsive to processing of image data captured by the forward-viewing camera, detects an object present exterior of the vehicle and estimates mass of the detected object. The vehicular airbag control system determines speed of the detected object relative to the vehicle based at least in part on processing of radar data captured by the radar sensor. The vehicular airbag control system determines severity of potential collision between the vehicle and the detected object based at least in part on the estimated mass of the detected object and the determined speed of the detected object relative to the vehicle. The vehicular airbag control system inhibits deployment of an airbag of the vehicle based at least in part on the determined severity of potential collision.