VEHICLE OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A VEHICLE OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM

The invention describes a vehicle occupant restraint system (2) comprising a control unit and at least two restraint elements (8, 10) for the protection of lower extremities (6, 6′, 7, 7′) in the area of a footwell (4) of a vehicle of a vehicle occupant seated in a particular vehicle seat of the vehicle, wherein a first restraint element (8) is configured as a knee airbag module (12), wherein a second restraint element (10) is provided for mounting into the footwell (4) of the vehicle, especially in an area of the footwell (4) of the vehicle arranged in the vehicle longitudinal direction (x) ahead of the knee airbag module (12), wherein, in a situation of restraint, the control unit can differentiate between different situations, wherein the control unit, in the situation of restraint, activates at least the first restraint element (8) and, depending on the given situation, additionally activates the second restraint element (10) and/or a partial element of the first restraint element (8) and/or a partial element of the second restraint element (10).