Do all vehicles built since 1997 have air bags? Can I buy a new vehicle without air bags? Starting in model year 1998, all new passenger cars must have dual air bags (driver and passenger side). Starting in model year 1999, all new light trucks must also have dual air bags.

Should I put a rear-facing infant seat in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger side air bag? No. Unless the vehicle is equipped with a cut-off switch for the air bag and the air bag is shut off, under no circumstances should a parent place a rear-facing infant seat in front of an air bag. There is an extremely high risk of severe injury or fatality in this situation. Even if the air bag is shut off or there is no air bag, the safest place for children under 12 is in the rear seat.

Many parents worry about having an infant rear-facing in the rear seat. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics stresses that a healthy baby buckled correctly in a rear-facing infant seat is as safe as a baby placed in a crib for a nap or overnight sleep. The risk of serious injury in a crash is much greater than the risk of a healthy baby having a life threatening health problem during a car ride. If no rear seat is available for a rear-facing infant seat, consider another mode of transportation.

Should I put a forward-facing child safety seat in the right front seat with an air bag? Will the child be safe if the air bag deploys? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends placing children 12 and under in the rear seat. That is the safest place. If no option exists other than seating a young child in the front seat, take precautions. The child must be properly restrained in the child seat. Then, the vehicle seat needs to be pushed all the way back, to maximize the distance between the child and the air bag.

My child is too old for a child seat. Should I allow my child to ride in the front seat with an air bag? Will the child be safe if the air bag deploys? The best choice is always a rear seat. Depending on the size of the child, if he or she must sit in the front, you should use a booster seat plus a lap/shoulder belt, or a lap/shoulder belt alone (for larger children). The seat needs to be pushed all the way back, to maximize the distance between the child and the air bag. Be sure the child sits with his/her back against the seat back, and doesn't wiggle around or lean forward. The seat belt should fit snugly with as little slack as possible to minimize forward movement in a crash.

How did the NHTSA determine that age 12 was the age below which children should sit in the rear for maximum protection? Wouldn't height and weight matter more than age? All children are safest in the rear of a vehicle, regardless of their age or size. In recommending that children 12 and under never sit in the front seat of a vehicle which is equipped with a passenger air bag, the agency reviewed all crashes in which children were killed due to impacts from the air bag. While height and weight could factor into a child's safety in air bag-equipped vehicles, there are no known precise measurements that can be used to ensure that no injuries or fatalities will occur. Each vehicle is equipped with a unique air bag that will deploy with a different force. Thus, generalizations on height and weight are impossible. But the studies show that children are safest in the rear of vehicles.

Is it safe for short adults to be seated in the front passenger seat of a vehicle equipped with a passenger-side air bag? Yes. However, passengers of all sizes should be properly restrained. All front seat passengers (adults and children) should move the seat as far back as possible, and tilt the seat back slightly to help maximize the distance between the passenger's chest and the instrument panel (to 10 inches or more). To allow the air bag to deploy safely, front seat passengers should avoid leaning or reaching forward and should sit against the vehicle seat back, with as little slack in the belt as possible, to minimize forward movement in a crash.

Is it safe for elderly people to be seated in front of an air bag? Yes. Elderly people, like all other drivers and front seat passengers, should be properly restrained and should move the seat as far back as possible, being careful to sit against the vehicle seat back and keep their arms away from the area in which the air bag will deploy.

What is the government currently doing, and what is it going to do, to prevent child and small driver fatalities caused by air bags? When will the decisions and changes be made? NHTSA has announced four rules to reduce the risk to children and small drivers. Rule #1 requires that all new cars have labels placed on the sun visors, dashboards, and child restraints ito alert occupants to the dangers of placing children in the front seat of vehicles with air bags. Rule #2 extended the period of time manufacturers can offer passenger air bag cut-off switches in vehicles with no rear seats or small rear seats. Rule #3 permits manufacturers to use lower powered air bags. This proposal will permit air bags to be depowered by 20 to 35 percent. Rule #4 lets vehicle owners request authorization for a dealer to connect the air bag (driver side, passenger side, or both) to an on-off switch. NHTSA will soon issue another proposal concerning development of smart air bags.

What is a safety belt pretensioner/tensioner and will it help protect me in a crash? A pretensioner/tensioner is a device that automatically tightens safety belts in a crash. It is offered only as original equipment on a limited number of vehicles and once it deploys, it must be replaced. Contact your local dealer for information on which vehicles are equipped with it.

I have a tilt steering wheel. How should I position it in order so the air bag provides the greatest protection with the least chance of injury? A tilt steering wheel should be tilted down so that the air bag will deploy toward the chest and not the head. Pregnant women should make sure the steering wheel is also tilted toward the chest, not the abdomen or the head.

I have a telescoping steering wheel. How should I position it in order so the air bag provides the greatest protection with the least chance of injury? A telescoping steering wheel should be positioned so that it extends toward the driver as little as possible, ensuring that the air bag has plenty of room to deploy.

Where can I send written questions or comments? All written comments/questions concerning air bags should be addressed to the administrator (NAO-10), NHTSA, 400 Seventh St., SW, Washington, DC 20590.

I plan to sell my air bag-equipped vehicle. What disclaimer should I put on the bill of sale to protect myself from injuries which might occur to a subsequent owner? Most used vehicles are sold in "as is" condition and no disclaimers are necessary. However, if you have received permission to disable the air bag and have done so, or if the air bag deployed and you have not replaced it, but have replaced the cover such that it appears you have a functioning air bag, you should provide that information on the bill of sale so that a purchaser is not misled into believing that he/she has a functioning air bag. You should consult an attorney for the precise wording.

I read that NHTSA issued new rules allowing manufacturers to depower the air bags in new vehicles. The car I now own has an air bag. Can I have a depowered air bag retrofitted in my car? In March 1997, NHTSA issued a final rule to permit manufacturer's to use lower powered air bags. This rule will permit air bags to be depowered by 20 to 35 percent. Manufacturers are not required by the new rule to install depowered air bags in older cars. Each manufacturer will decide how to design and manufacturer new air bags for its vehicles to meet the new rule.

What do I do if a dealer does not honor a waiver for disabling an air bag issued by NHTSA to an individual? NHTSA does not have authority to require any dealer to disable an air bag. If a dealer will not disable an air bag for a vehicle owner that has obtained a waiver to disable, the owner should seek another dealer. If other dealers will not disable the air bag the owner could contact an independent service garage. Owners should never attempt to disable the air bag. An air bag system is highly sophisticated and the air bag deploys with great force. Tampering with an air bag system could put the owner at risk of physical harm due to an inadvertent deployment.

Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Association
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