October 2004 - Accident Reconstruction Newsletter

Air Bags - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• General Questions
• Side Impact Air Bags
• Advanced Frontal Air Bags
• Air Bag ON-OFF Switches
• Air Bag Deactivation

General Questions

How do I know if my vehicle has air bags?
For frontal air bags, look for the embossed letters SRS, SIR or SRS/Air Bag on the air bag cover located in the center of the steering wheel (for the driver) and the dashboard (for the right front passenger).

Also look for the air bag warning labels typically located on the sun visors. As always, read your owner's manual to understand the operation and location of your vehicle's air bags.

Since model year 1998, all passenger cars are required to have frontal air bags for the driver and the right front passenger seating positions. Starting in model year 1999, all light trucks (pickups, vans and SUVs) are required to have frontal air bags for the driver and the right front passenger.

Side-impact air bags are not required by the government. Side-impact air bags are, however, offered as either a standard or optional feature by many vehicle manufacturers. Again, read your owner's manual and look for the embossed letters SRS or Side Air Bag on areas such as the outboard side of the seat back, the door panel or the overhead roof rail.

Should I put my child in the front seat of a vehicle with a passenger frontal air bag?
No. An infant or child riding in the front seat can be seriously injured or killed by an inflating air bag. NHTSA recommends placing all children 12 and under in the rear seat. This is the safest place. This applies to all children 12 and under: an infant riding in a rear-facing infant seat, a child riding in a forward-facing child restraint, an older child riding in a booster seat and children large enough to wear a safety belt.

Infants in rear-facing child safety seats must never ride in the front seat of a vehicle with an active front passenger air bag. Children age 12 and under should ride buckled up in the back seat. They should use child safety seats, booster seats or safety belts appropriate for their age and size.

There may be occasions when a parent or caregiver has no other option than to place a child other than an infant in a rear-facing child safety seat in the right front seat, for example:

• In a pickup truck with insufficient or no available rear seat, or
• If a parent is transporting too many children for all to ride in the back, or
• When transporting a child with a medical condition that requires monitoring and another adult is not available.

In the event there is no available rear seat and parents have no other option than to place a child other than an infant in a rear-facing child safety seat in a front passenger seating position, take these steps:

• Ensure the child is properly restrained,
• Move the seat as far back as possible,
• Make sure the child is not leaning out of position, and
• Set the air bag ON-OFF switch, if available, to the OFF position.

When faced with having to choose which child other than an infant in a rear-facing child safety seat to place in front of an air bag in the front seat, select the child that can be relied upon to remain in a proper seating position. This may not necessarily be the oldest child, but the child who is restrained at all times.

What is meant by a "moderate or severe" crash?
Frontal air bags are generally designed to deploy in "moderate to severe" frontal or near-frontal crashes, that is, crashes that are equivalent to hitting a solid, fixed barrier at 8 to 14 mph or higher. This would also be equivalent to striking a parked car of similar size at about 16 to 28 mph or higher.

Is it safe for small-stature and elderly adults to be seated in front of a frontal air bag?
Yes. It has generally been found to be safe, and will continue to be safe, for smaller adults and elderly people to be seated in front of an air bag as long as they are properly belted, maintain a proper seating position and move the seat as far back as possible.

Drivers concerned about achieving the recommended 10-inch distance between the air bag cover in the steering wheel and the driver's breastbone should:

• Ensure they are properly belted,
• Maintain a proper seating position,
• Move the seat as far back as possible while still comfortably reaching the pedals,
• Recline the back of the seat slightly, and
• Tilt the steering wheel downward, if the steering wheel is adjustable, because this points the air bag towards the breastbone instead of the head and neck.

Those who still cannot get far enough away from the steering wheel should ask their vehicle manufacturer about the availability of pedal extenders. If the above does not work and a driver still cannot comfortably achieve the 10-inch distance, an air bag ON-OFF switch may be considered. With the introduction of advanced frontal air bags beginning in the 2004 model year, much of the risk of an air bag-related injury is minimized and an ON-OFF switch may not be necessary.

Is it safe for pregnant women to be seated in front of a frontal air bag?
Yes. The combination of safety belts and air bags offer the best level of protection to pregnant women as long as they follow the same advice as other adults: ensure they are properly belted, maintain a proper seating position and move the seat as far back as possible.

The lap belt should be positioned low on the abdomen, below the fetus, with the shoulder belt worn normally. When crashes occur, the fetus can be injured by striking the lower rim of the steering wheel or from crash forces concentrated in the area where a seat belt crosses the mother's abdomen. The seat belt will keep a pregnant woman as far as possible from the steering wheel. The air bag will help spread out the crash forces that would otherwise be concentrated by the seat belt.

Women late in pregnancy may not be able to get their abdomens away from the steering wheel. If the vehicle has a tilt steering wheel, pregnant women should make sure the steering wheel is tilted toward the breastbone, not the abdomen or the head.

What is meant by "properly restrained" and "proper seating position"?
The lap belt portion of your safety belt should be adjusted so that it lies low across the hips and over the upper portion of the thighs. The lap belt should not lie across the abdomen. The lap belt is most effective when it lies over the pelvic bone, one of the strongest bones in the body. Remove excess slack from the lap belt so that it is snug. Any slack can allow the body to move around during a crash and increases the risk of injury.

The shoulder portion of your safety belt should lie over the chest and over the collarbone with minimal, if any, slack. It should not lie across the front of the neck. A belt that touches the side of the neck may be slightly uncomfortable, but is not usually unsafe. Worn correctly, the shoulder belt provides upper torso protection, spreads the crash forces over a relatively large area of the body and helps to prevent the head and chest from hitting the interior of the vehicle during a crash.

Do not place the shoulder portion of your safety belt underneath your arm or behind your back. This will increase the likelihood of your upper body contacting the vehicle's interior during a crash and will also concentrate crash forces on the lap portion of the belt.

Proper seating position means occupants should be seated upright with their back against the seat back and feet on the floor. Improper seating positions, such as slouching or resting one's feet on the dashboard, can result in reduced effectiveness of the vehicle's restraint system and possible injury to the occupant.

What is the Technical Working Group (TWG)?
At the government's request, a panel of automotive and insurance industry experts known as the Technical Working Group (TWG) has developed voluntary side-impact air bag (SAB) testing procedures to minimize the potential risk of SAB-related injuries for out-of-position occupants. All manufacturers have agreed to utilize these tests when designing future SAB systems.

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