You may be protected by front airbags if your car is hit from the front, but what if the other vehicle comes from the side?

A new study shows the life-saving benefit of side airbags.

Airbags in front dashboards save so many lives in accidents that they've now become standard equipment in new cars.

But side airbags are still optional in most cars. The latest crash test studies show that may soon be changing.

Video of a really bad crash showed how side impact airbags give people a much better chance of survival.

MORE ON THIS STORY Insurance Institute For Highway Safety Side-impact Air Bags

Tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety are meant to simulate a 31 mph hour T-bone crash with a pickup or large SUV.

Without its optional side airbags, the Ford Escape was given a poor rating. With the airbags, however, it's rating bounced up to good.

Side airbags are proving to be such a safety winner, in fact, the new Honda CR-V actually has them as standard equipment.

"And it's good news for consumers. With these side airbag systems, both the Honda CR-V and the Ford Escape offer good side impact protection," said Adrian Lund of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

That's because the newest side airbags are curtain style.

"That offers head protection for the front seat occupants and rear seat occupants. In addition, the curtain airbag deploys in the event of a rollover helping keep arms, head and legs of people inside the vehicle," Lund said.

But when it comes to T-bone crashes in general, as a class, small SUVs didn't do so well.

Of the 13 models tested only four -- the Escape, the Honda CR-V, the Toyota RAV4 and the Subaru Forester earned good ratings.

One, the Hyundai Santa Fe was rated "acceptable."

All the rest were rated "marginal" or "poor."

Although the Honda CR-V is the only small SUV with side curtain airbags as standard equipment, more and more new vehicles are offering them as an option.

Safety experts say it's an option well worth paying extra for.