Air Bags & Child Safety
In the U.S., every car, SUV, van and truck manufactured since 1998 is equipped with air bag safety technology. According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, 50,000 lives have been saved over a 30-year period because of air bags.
Car and Vehicle Air Bags: What Parents Need to Know
While there is no doubt air bag technology has played a huge role in helping to make automobile travel safer, there are some important things to know about them, particularly when it comes to children riding in vehicles.
In this blog, let’s take a look at air bags, how they work, and what you can do to ensure that children riding in your car are as safe as possible.
The History of Air Bags in Cars
The concept of an air bag actually dates back to the 1950’s and 60’s, but the technology available at the time made them impractical. By the 1980’s, there were great advancements in air bag design and functionality, and a decade later, they were standard in all U.S. vehicles.
How Vehicle Air Bags Work and Protect Passengers in a Crash
The basic idea of an air bag is simple. During a collision, it is designed to rapidly inflate, preventing people from slamming into a vehicle’s interior components, such as the dashboard, or windshield.
In today’s most modern cars, air bags are not only located in the steering wheel and passenger dashboard areas, but also on the sides and lower portions of a vehicle’s cabin. Based on the type of collision and impact point, a car’s sensors will determine which airbags would be best to deploy in the protection of passengers. Upon deployment, they inflate incredibly fast in order to cushion the physical blow that people experience during an accident.
Car Air Bags and Children
Air bags have proven to be highly effective in helping to prevent serious injury in adults, but they can be dangerous to young children and babies. Because of their smaller stature, child passengers can be severely injured or killed when impacted by exploding air bag.
How to Keep Children Safer with Vehicle Air Bags
The good news is adults can take proactive steps to help make car travel safer for young children with respect to airbags. The following is important information to know.
Car Air Bag Safety for Infants, Toddlers, and Older Children
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, all children under the age of 13 should ride in the backseat of vehicles. Depending on age, they need to be either secured by seat belts, or placed in a car seat, or booster seat appropriate for their size and weight.
Infants & Toddlers
Rear facing car seats should always be used for infants and toddlers. It is best to continue this practice until a child reaches the height and weight limitations for their specific car seat.
Car Seat and Seat Belt Guidelines for Preschoolers and Older Children
Children who have outgrown a rear facing car seat, should ride in a front facing seat, secured with the seat belt, and a harness attached to a back-anchor clip. This practice should be followed until a child outgrows the seat according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Older children should always ride in the back until the age of 13, or when reaching the age of 9, be 4’ 9” in height, and at least 80 pounds.
Whether it be front or back, older children need to be securely fastened by their lap and shoulder belts, properly adjusted for their size.
For parents who need help installing car seats, many police and fire departments offer car seat clinics, where they offer to install and secure a car seat for no charge.
Car-X Cares About Your Safety
For over 50 years, it has been the mission of Car-X to keep our customers and their cars safely on the road. Air bags are a proven safety technology, but parents need to follow established guidelines regarding them and children.
When your car needs repair or maintenance services, Car-X is your single source solution. Give us a call today! We’ll help keep you moving down the road!
