Do You Need An Airbag On/Off
Switch?
Probably Not.
You've heard about airbags hurting people and may be thinking
about getting on/off switches for the airbags in your car. The
federal government now has procedures allowing the very few people
who may be at risk of serious airbag injury to get switches,
but these aren't appropriate for most people.
Are you possibly at risk of airbag injury? Is someone in your
family? It isn't your size, gender, or age that determines risk.
It's your position in relation to an airbag. Anyone who's very
close to, or on top of, an airbag as it begins to inflate can
be injured or killed. Most people who have been harmed by airbags
weren't using safety belts or child restraints, and braking before
impact caused them to move close to their airbags before inflation.
Once you understand the risks, weigh them against the benefits
of airbags, which are important supplements to safety belts.
Airbags and belts work together as a system, and one without
the other isn't as effective. Together, they double the protection
against head injury that's afforded by belts alone. The lives
saved by airbags far outnumber the deaths they've caused.
So are you one of the few who's possibly at risks? Is your
family? Probably not, but check the following guidelines to tell
for sure.
On the Driver Side
To avoid serious airbag injury risk, a driver of any size
or age should always buckle up and sit at least 10 inches away
from the steering wheel. Belted drivers potentially at risk are
the very few positioned so the center of the chest is closer
than 10 inches to the center of the steering wheel.
If you sit closer, try other options before seeking an airbag
on/off switch. Why? Because without air-bags, even belted drivers
move forward in serious frontal crashes, and their faces often
hit the steering wheel. Try a new seating position. Some drivers
who lean forward need only sit back. If you've tried but cannot
get back far enough, consider pedal extenders (call 813-932-8566
for information about these).
Only if it isn't possible to get back and away from the steering
wheel should you consider an airbag on/off switch - for example,
if you've tried but cannot comfortably drive while sitting back
at least 10 inches. If you're a woman late in pregnancy who needs
to drive and cannot get your abdomen away from the steering wheel,
you may wish to seek permission for a switch based on medical
need. But remember that sitting close presents its own risks.
Without an airbag, your face is likely to hit the steering wheel
in a serious frontal crash.
Most 1998 and later cars will have redesigned airbags with
less powerful inflators that reduce serious injury risk. In these
cars, there's probably no need to get an on/off switch for your
airbag even if you cannot get 10 inches from the steering wheel.
Still, it's best to sit back and away from an airbag.
On the Passenger Side
There's no significant airbag injury risk to properly belted
adults sitting back in the seat. The risk on the passenger side
is mostly to infants and children who are unrestrained or unbelted
- and the remedy is usually as simple as properly restraining
kids in a back seat. Sitting in back always was safer, even before
airbags, and now it's more important because it keeps kids away
from inflating airbags.
Never put a rear-facing restraint in front with a passenger
airbag. The baby's head would be too close to the airbag. Instead,
secure the infant restraint to the center back seat.
Should you ever consider an on/off switch for a passenger
airbag? A switch so you can occasionally put a baby up front
might seem like a good idea, but if you're in a hurry it's easy
to forget about the switch. Besides, it's always safer to ride
in back. So there's only a rare need for an on/off switch - for
example, when an infant with medical problems requires constant
observation and the driver is the only other person in the vehicle.
Then there might be no choice except to put the baby up front,
and a passenger airbag would present a risk. Of course, paying
constant attention to a baby distracts from driving and involves
its own risks.
What if you transport too many infants or small children to
put them all in a back seat? It's okay for an older child to
ride up front, even with a passenger airbag, if the seat is all
the way back and the child is secured in a lap/shoulder belt
and sitting back in the seat. Sitting back is important because
leaning forward to, for example, fiddle with radio dials can
put a child's head close to the airbag. If you routinely transport
too many kids to put them all in the back and worry about keeping
the child up front sitting back and away from the passenger airbag,
you may wish to get an on/off switch. If you do get one, remember
to use it correctly. Remember to turn off the airbag when an
infant or child must ride in front.
Making the Decision
Don't discount airbag risks. Don't discount the benefits of
airbags, either. If you're one of the very few for whom airbags
may pose a risk, then an on/off switch may be appropriate. But
remember how few people really need on/off switches and how easily
they can be misused. And remember this: If you turn off your
airbag, you'd be forgoing important protection in the event of
a serious frontal crash. When you know the facts, it becomes
clear that leaving airbags intact is almost always best.
|
