AS I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN RT 102 WEST BOUND IN RHODE ISLAND, IN THE LEFT LANE OF A TWO LAND ROAD IN ROUGHLY THE 30 - 40 MPH RANGE WITH MY 7 MONTH OLD TODDLER IN THE CAR SEAT IN THE BACK SEAT, THE SIDE AIR BAGS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE CAR DEPLOYED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION FOR NO APPARENT REASON. MY CAR WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT AND DID NOT HIT A POT HOLE OR A BUMP IN THE ROAD. IT WAS A SMOOTH DRIVE UP UNTIL I HEAD A LOUD BANG AND WAS SMACKED IN THE SIDE OF THE HEAD WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, WHEN THE SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. MY DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS LOCKED UP AS WELL. I WAS LEFT WITH A TEMPORARY RED MARK ON MY NECK AND A RINGING IN MY EARS. AFTER 3 HOURS THE HEARING IN MY LEFT EAR HAS YET TO RETURN BACK TO NORMAL. I DO NOT KNOW WHY THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED OR WHAT COMPONENT IS THE CAUSE. THIS INCIDENT ENGAGED MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF MY CHILD.