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AIR
BAG SAFETY
AIR BAGS
As of February 1, 1998, air bags
have saved 2,474 lives, according to the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) . Air bags have reduced deaths in
frontal crashes by about 30% among drivers and by about 27% among
passengers.
However, as of February 1, 1998, 91
deaths have reportedly been caused by air bags inflating in low
severity crashes. These deaths include 36 adult drivers, 4 adult
passengers, 39 child passengers and 12 infants in rear-facing
child seats. Most of these victims were unbelted or improperly
belted. If small children sit unbelted in the front seat, they can
be thrown into the path of a deploying air bag, which inflates
with great force. This risk also applies to small adults who must
sit close to the steering wheel to reach the pedals, pregnant
women and the elderly. Infants in rear-facing safety seats on the
passenger side can be severely injured because their heads are in
the direct path of an inflating air bag.
SOLUTIONS
Drivers should have all children
sit in the backseat wearing a safety belt. Infants should be
placed in rear-facing car seats and put in the backseat. Small
adults should move the seat back so that their breastbone is at
least 10 inches from the air bag cover. If these tips can not be
performed, air bag switches can be installed so that the vehicle
owner has the option of turning the bag off or on, depending on
the situation. In January 1998, NHTSA allowed auto dealers and
repair shops to begin installing air bag cut-off switches. Before
the switch can be installed, vehicle owners must complete a
four-step process:
- Obtain an information brochure
and request form from NHTSA, dealerships or repair shops.
- Return the form to NHTSA.
- Receive authorization from NHTSA
after it reviews the case.
- Take the vehicle to the service
shop along with the authorization from NHTSA which certifies
that the owner has read the brochure and met one of the four
eligibility classifications
- rear-facing infant seat must
be in the front (necessary if the vehicle has no
back-seat)
- driver's seat can not be
adjusted to keep more than 10 inches between the driver
and the steering wheel
- putting a child 12 or under
in the front seat can not be avoided
- having a medical condition
that puts them at risk of injury when an air bag deploy
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