Control system and method for controlling vehicle-occupant protecting apparatus

Control systems and methods for controlling a vehicle-occupant protecting apparatus that includes two vehicle-occupant protecting devices (31, 32, 33, 34, 41) which are disposed on respective right and left sides of an automotive vehicle, are operable to determine whether the vehicle has a rollover motion, on the basis of a physical quantity or quantities (RA, RR, GY) indicative of a running condition of the vehicle, and, upon determination that the vehicle has said rollover motion, to operate only the vehicle-occupant protecting device(s) located on a rolling side of the vehicle. When the detected rollover motion is expected to develop into a serious rollover motion, non-rolling-side vehicle-occupant protecting device(s) is located on a non-rolling side of the vehicle is operated. Thus, the control system and method permit adequate operations of the vehicle-occupant protecting devices (31, 32, 33, 34, 41) depending upon the rollover state of the vehicle.