SAFETY TOPIC: AIRBAGS
| Table of Contents |
| -Overview |
| -Statistics |
| -Delaware's Air Bag Law |
| -How They Work |
| -Air Bag On/Off Switches |
Air bags are extremely effective safety devices, estimated to have saved 4,200 lives since 1987. In 1997 alone, airbags are credited with saving 842 lives.
Today, approximately 87 million cars have driver side air bags and of those, 59 million cars have passenger side air bags according to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. Beginning in 1998, all new model year cars are required to have both driver and passenger side air bags.
Air bags are not meant to be used alone as a safety device for preventing death or serious injury. That's why they are also called supplemental restraint systems (SRS). Air bags are most effective when used in conjunction with seatbelts, reducing the risk of head injury to motorists by 75%.
Tragically, 76 children have been killed by deploying passenger side air bags. Of those children, reports show that 68 of them were either unrestrained or improperly restrained in the front seat of the vehicle. Buckling children up in the back seat, away from the air bag can eliminate the risk of death to children from the device. Children under the age of one should NEVER ride in the front seat of a car with a passenger side air bag.
Delaware law prohibits any child under the age of 12 and 65 inches from sitting in the front seat of a vehicle equipped with a passenger side air bag. Only if the rear seating positions in the vehicle are already occupied by children under 12 and 65 inches, may a child in that age range sit in the front seat. In this situation, parent should let the oldest child, or the child with the best upper body strength, sit in the front seat. They should push that seat as far back from the air bag as possible, and make sure that the child is buckled in with a lap and shoulder belt.
Air bags are designed to deploy in front impact crashes. When an airbag opens, it does not come out as a soft billowy pillow. It springs out of the dashboard at up to 200 miles per hour - faster than the blink of an eye. Dust-like particles often come out of the airbag when it deploys. These particles are usually either talcum powder or corn starch. They are used to lubricate the airbag during deployment.
For more information on air bag on/off switches, click on our Hot Topics section at the bottom of our home page.
Although talk of getting an airbag on/off switch is all the rage these days, the Delaware Office of Highway Safety wants to remind you that airbags are an effective, life-saving technology. To date, it's estimated that they have saved 4,200 lives. Additionally, Many medical experts believe that only a limited number of people would actually benefit from deactivating their airbags.
Airbag on/off switches are only recommended for certain groups of people. These include people with certain medical conditions, people who cannot safely sit 10 inches away from the steering wheel or dash board, or people who cannot avoid transporting children in the front seat of a vehicle.
If you feel that you fit one of the recommended categories for use of an on/off switch, you must first apply to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for approval. If NHTSA authorizes your request, they will send you a letter, which you must take to a dealership willing to do the work for you. The service outlet will inform NHTSA when the work is done. To receive more information on airbag on/off switches, contact the Delaware Office of Highway Safety.
