Avoid Injuries from Airbags Where and how you sit affects your risk. Since airbags became a standard safety feature on all cars and truck sold in the United States, they’ve reduced driver deaths by approximately 14 percent, according to the Insurance Intitute for Highway Safety. Unfortunately, airbags have also been responsible for some serious injuries and even deaths when they’ve inflated. In an accident, airbags protect passengers by instantly inflating to prevent a person from hitting the dashboard or steering wheel. It’s this sudden, explosive inflation that has caused injuries and deaths – mostly among children, smaller people and those sitting too close to the airbag. Of those injured or killed in an accident involving airbags, most were not wearing seatbelts or else only lap belts with no shoulder restraints. Minimize your chance of injury It isn’t your size, gender or age that determines your chance of injury. It’s your position in relation to an airbag. People at risk of serious injuries from inflating airbags are mainly drivers who don’t wear seatbelts or sit with their face or chest close to the steering wheel or dashboard. You can virtually eliminate the risk of an airbag injury by wearing your seatbelt. Remember that airbags are a supplement to seatbelts – not a replacement. Here are a few things you can do to minimize your chance of being injured by an inflating airbag. •Sit as far away from the steering wheel as possible while still safely being able to reach the pedals. •Be sure to wear a safety belt. Most airbag inflation injuries and deaths involve unbelted people. •Keep at least 10 inches or more between your chest and the steering wheel or dashboard. •Have children 12 years and under ride in the back seat and be properly restrained, either in a seatbelt/shoulder belt or a child safety/booster seat appropriate for their size and weight. •Never place a rear-facing infant seat in front of an air bag (front seat), unless the airbag is turned off.
Posted on: Wed, 11 Sep 2013 15:02:18 +0000
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