Airbags and Children
Airbags are commonly a standard feature in any new vehicle purchase. They have proven to save many lives and add to the value of the vehicle, however, with the benefits comes special concerns for the parents of infants or young children.
Airbags are designed to protect passengers during frontal crashes, however, they were designed to protect adults, so they can posing a serious risk to children. Research has shown that airbags increase the chances for serious injuries in children by 200%. All children under the age of 13 are safest if they ride in the back seat of a vehicle. Never place any child in the front seat. During a crash, the front end absorbs some of the crash energy; those occupants who are tightly restrained come to a “soft” stop. But those who are loosely restrained, or who are not secured at all, will keep moving forward at the same speed as the vehicle was moving until they hit something inside the vehicle.Airbags are your cars last resort way to save you in an accident. While the impact is hard, the airbag distributes the crash force and saves an adult driver. The airbag can deploy in less than 1/20th of one second.
Infants
If you are tempted to fasten your childs carseat in the front, don't. Even if your infant is in a rear-facing safety seat the force of the airbag deploying in a crash will be directed right at head level – making the child take the full force of the bag’s movement. Cranial injuries cannot be taken lightly, and they are all extremely dangerous. Many children have been killed from the force of an airbag.
Toddlers
A child in a forward facing safety seat is even closer to the dashboard, where the airbag comes out during a crash. They may seem to be safer, but they are not. You should still place them in the rear seat. Once again, the airbag will come into contact with the child around his or her head; potentially causing serious damage.
Older children
Your older child, especially if he is not restrained correctly, will sit closer to the dashboard. If you must place an older child in the front seat, move the seat back as far as possible. Teach your child not to lean forward, but to sit against the back of the seat with the seat belt snugly fastened. For side or curtain airbags, be sure your child learns not to lean against the area where the airbag is stored. Check the owner’s manual to be sure it is safe for a child to ride next to a side airbag.
Multiple Children
It is recommended that all children under the agent of 13 ride in the back seat. So what do you do if you have several children? In this case, be sure that you own enough safety seats for all your children. Then be sure that you have a vehicle with enough seats to keep all children safe. Next, contact a certified child passenger safety technician to get help you determine which children should sit in each seat. For more information, visit the American Academy of Pediatrics article on airbag safety.