The present invention is directed to an apparatus for controlling a vehicle actuatable occupant restraining system including a discrimination crash sensor (32, 34, 36) for sensing a vehicle crash condition and providing a discrimination crash signal indicative thereof. A first crush zone sensor (40) is located at a first vehicle crush zone location and provides a first crush zone signal indicative of crash acceleration sensed by the first crush zone sensor. A second crush zone sensor (42) is located at a second vehicle crush zone location for providing a second crush zone signal indicative of crash acceleration sensed by the second crush zone sensor. A crush zone safing determining function (218) of the controller (50) monitors the first crush zone sensor and the second crush zone sensor and provides a crush zone safing signal in response to one of the first and the second crush zone sensors signals exceeding a first threshold and the other of the first and the second crush zone sensors signals being faulty. The crush zone safing signal is also provided in response to one of the first and the second crush zone sensor signals exceeding a second threshold, the second threshold being greater than the first threshold. A controller (50) monitors the discrimination crash signal and the crush zone safing signal for controlling an actuatable restraining device in response thereto.