Guidelines for Airbags for Kids

Airbags are found in most cars to protect the driver and passenger in the event of a crash. However, air bags themselves can be potentially dangerous, as they deploy from the dashboard at about 200 miles per hour. Children who are riding in the front seat when these airbags deploy are at high risk of being injured by the air bags, as well as the actual crash.

  1. Back Seat is Safest

    • Children younger than 13 should always ride in the back seat of the vehicle. Children under 13 who are too close to an airbag can be severely injured if the airbag inflates in a crash.The University of Oklahoma Police Department states that children are 29 percent safer riding in the back seat of the vehicle.

    Side-impace Air Bags

    • Rear-facing seats should never be used in the front seat of a car that has side-impact airbags. Toddlers who use forward-facing seats should likewise not be placed in the front seat. If it is absolutely necessary, the vehicle seat must be adjusted as far back as possible to maximize the distance between the child and the airbag.

    Seat Belts and Child Safety Seats

    • Children should always be properly restrained in a seat belt or child safety seat appropriate for their age and size. Infants under the age of 1 and 20 pounds must use a rear-facing seat. Once they have outgrown a harnessed child safety seat, older children should use a booster seat until they reach the limits of the booster. Properly restraining children in the vehicle protects them from being thrown towards the dashboard and the airbag.

    Disabling Airbags

    • Airbag disabling can be authorized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in specific cases if necessary. If you must use a rear-facing child safety seat in the front seat because there is no back seat or the safety seat will not fit in the back seat, you could get permission to disable the passenger airbag only. If your child under the age of 12 must sit in the front seat because of a medical condition that needs constant monitoring, you could also get permission, although you will generally need a doctor's statement. You must send your information to the NHTSA in writing if you need to have an airbag disabled.

    2. Previous:

    Next: