A side impact airbag module for restraining a vehicle occupant comprising: an airbag that when inflated is of sufficient height to extend from a vehicle seat to a location generally adjacent the shoulder of a seated 95th percentile sized male vehicle occupant such that the inflated airbag will lie between the vehicle occupant and a side portion of the vehicle; the airbag including first and second panels (24a, 24b) that are joined together at a centerline, and at least one internal tether forming a bridge between predetermined regions of the first and second panels to provide a pair of inflatable chambers (36, 38) such that upon inflation of the airbag these chambers are spaced from one another by the at least one internal tether, the internal tether being coupled with the first and second panels (24a, 24b) about the centerline at a generally acute angle which is directed downard toward a vehicle floor, the internal tether includes a pair of vents (46, 48) therein to allow inflation gas to flow therethrough, CHARACTERIZED BY one of the vents being adjacent the centerline, an inflator located inside the airbag and extending through the vent in the internal tether adjacent the centerline such that the inflator is partially disposed within each of the inflatable chambers (36, 38), the inflator having a plurality of output ports located so that inflation gas from the inflator is initially delivered from the inflator into the first, lower, inflatable chamber, the internal tether regulating the width of the airbag upon inflation while regulating the flow of the compressed gasses from the lower to upper chamber and being positioned and oriented such that said initial inflation lower chamber is positioned below the abdomen of a 5th percentile sized female vehicle occupant. an airbag that when inflated is of sufficient height to extend from a vehicle seat to a location generally adjacent the shoulder of a seated 95th percentile sized male vehicle occupant such that the inflated airbag will lie between the vehicle occupant and a side portion of the vehicle; the airbag including first and second panels (24a, 24b) that are joined together at a centerline, and at least one internal tether forming a bridge between predetermined regions of the first and second panels to provide a pair of inflatable chambers (36, 38) such that upon inflation of the airbag these chambers are spaced from one another by the at least one internal tether, the internal tether being coupled with the first and second panels (24a, 24b) about the centerline at a generally acute angle which is directed downard toward a vehicle floor, the internal tether includes a pair of vents (46, 48) therein to allow inflation gas to flow therethrough, CHARACTERIZED BY one of the vents being adjacent the centerline, an inflator located inside the airbag and extending through the vent in the internal tether adjacent the centerline such that the inflator is partially disposed within each of the inflatable chambers (36, 38), the inflator having a plurality of output ports located so that inflation gas from the inflator is initially delivered from the inflator into the first, lower, inflatable chamber, the internal tether regulating the width of the airbag upon inflation while regulating the flow of the compressed gasses from the lower to upper chamber and being positioned and oriented such that said initial inflation lower chamber is positioned below the abdomen of a 5th percentile sized female vehicle occupant.