Trauma Survivors Network - provided by ATS

Survive. Connect. Rebuild.

A Program of the ATS

Airbags

Airbags are a success saving thousands of lives, and deploying safely in millions of crashes. However, as is the case with many products, some airbags have caused unintended adverse effects. As a result, some vehicles allow the option of turning the airbag switch on or off. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (www.iihs.org), the only time that an airbag should be switched to off is when the position of the passenger or driver is very close to or on top of the airbag. The majority of people who have been harmed using an airbag were sitting less than 10 inches from the airbag, improperly using restraints, and/or using the brake before impact which moves a person too close to the airbag before inflation. Since the position of the head in the relation to the airbag is important, special attention should be given to infants, small children, and shorter stature adults.

Kids and Airbags

To eliminate the risk of child injury from an airbag, place infants in rear facing back seat restraint. The back seat is always preferred unless the infant needs constant observation and there is no other alternative but to place them in the front seat. Infants grow quickly, so restraints must be adapted accordingly. Once a child graduates to an adult seatbelt, always use the lap belt and the shoulder strap together. Do not let a child place the shoulder strap behind their head since this compromises the effectiveness of the seatbelt.

Need an Airbag On/Off Switch? Probably Not
See Website: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
www.iihs.org/brochures/default.html

About Your Airbag
See Website: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
www.iihs.org/brochures/default.html

Kids and Airbags
See Website: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
www.iihs.org/brochures/default.html