On the mind of many drivers and passengers these days is whether to invest in airbag switches in order to increase occupant safety. Given that airbags are designed to protect vehicle occupants in the event of a crash, the concept of turning them off seems illogical. But, a growing number of vehicle owners and safety watchdogs point to established evidence ... Read More »

People who must transport infants riding in rear-facing infant seats in the front passenger seat. People who must transport children ages 1 to 12 in the front passenger seat. Drivers who cannot change their customary driving position and keep 10 inches between the center of the steering wheel and the center of their breastbone. People whose doctors say that, due ... Read More »

A reader wrote in to share with us the death of her teenager from the deployment of an airbag. We were very sorry to hear about her loss. Nothing we can say will bring back her beloved child. But perhaps others can learn from her grief and willingness to share. Her questions brought up issues that should be addressed. But ... Read More »

Airbags are designed to save lives and prevent injuries by cushioning occupants as they move forward in a front-end crash. By providing a cushion, an air bag keeps the occupant’s head, neck, and chest from hitting the steering wheel or dashboard. To perform well, an air bag must deploy quickly and forcefully. The force is greatest in the first 2-3 ... Read More »

For the first time, automakers are beginning to offer side airbags with head protection in more popular and less expensive passenger vehicles. Ford Motor Company rolled out its new side airbags for 1999 models, and crash tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety demonstrate the potential benefits of this safety technology in side impact crashes. The Institute, in ... Read More »

Yes, both children and adults face the risk of air bag injury or death if they are positioned too close to the air bag or fail to use proper restraints. As of November 1, 1997, NHTSA has confirmed that 49 young children have died, all on the passenger side. 38 adults have died — 35 drivers and 3 passengers. Read More »

The head restraints in about a third of all 1999 passenger vehicles are poorly designed. Only 1 in 20 of the 1999 cars, pickups, and utility vehicles earns a good rating for head restraint design. Disappointing as these findings are, they represent an improvement since 1997 models were evaluated. Then more than half of all passenger vehicles were equipped with ... Read More »

Almost all of the 49 children who died were improperly restrained or positioned. 12 were infants under age 1 who were riding in rear-facing infant seats in front of the passenger air bag. When placed in the front seat, a rear-facing infant seat places an infant’s head within a very few inches of the passenger air bag. In this position, ... Read More »

Airbags are constantly in the news. Promotional ads describe how airbags helped save lives. Skeptics claim that airbags play a major role in automobile fatalities. Within the last few years, the airbag — intended as an additional automobile safety feature — has become a topic of much debate, despite manufacturers’ claims that they can and do save lives. This article ... Read More »

Most of the adults who were killed by air bags were not properly restrained. Eighteen of the 35 drivers, and 2 of the 3 passengers, were totally unbelted. Two of the drivers who were belted had medical conditions which caused them to slump over the steering wheel immediately before the crash. A few of the drivers did not use their ... Read More »