A protective clothing article including a wearable member placeable over the torso of a user, includes an upper portion for engaging the users shoulders, and a lower portion disposed, when worn by the user, at a vertical position generally similar to the pelvis of the user. At least two deployable airbags are disposed on the lower portion of the clothing article at a vertical position generally similar to the pelvis of a user. A compressed air source is provided for injecting air into the air bags upon deployment of the air bags to inflate the airbags. The clothing article also includes at least two sensors capable of detecting and sensing information relating to the direction and velocity of movement of the user. A controller is in communication with the sensor for processing sensed information from the sensor and processing said sensed information to determine whether a fall event is imminent and, upon determining that such a fall event is imminent, sending a signal to the compressed air source to inflate and thereby deploy at least one of the two deployable airbags.
