Auto Safety Tips: Air Bags

Air bags can help a great deal to keep you and your family safe, but only if you use them correctly. Here are some tips to use your air bag safely and get the most benefit.

Seat belts  

• Always wear your seatbelt. Air bags are designed to work with seatbelts, not in place of them.
• Make sure the lap portion of the belt is worn low and snug on the hips, and that the shoulder belt goes over the shoulder and across the chest.

Seating position

• Drivers should sit at least 25 cm, or 10 inches, from the steering wheel. There should be that much space between the centre of the steering wheel. and the centre of your breastbone (or sternum).
• Passengers should also sit as far back as possible. Sitting too close can prevent the air bag from working properly, and increase the chances of injury.
• If your vehicle has a passenger-side air bag, always put an infant in a rear-facing child safety seat in the back seat.
• If your child is under 12 years old, always put him or her in the rear seat. Even if you use the proper restraint (such as a car seat), your child can be hit very hard in the face and head if an air bag deploys, and could even break his or her neck.

If you must keep your child in the front seat:

• Make sure the seat is pushed as far back as it can go
• Make sure your child's seat belt is on properly, with the shoulder belt covering his or her shoulder (and not behind the child).
•  If the belt is uncomfortable, use a booster seat to make the child taller.

Deactivating your air bag-only if absolutely necessary!

It is possible to deactivate, or have an on-off switch installed, on one or both air bags. However, you should only consider this option:

• If you have no other option except to put your infant's rear-facing infant seat in the front passenger seat.
• If you have no other option except to have a child under 12 ride in the front passenger seat.
• If you cannot change your usual driving position so that you are 25 cm, or 10 inches away from the centre of the steering wheel.
• If your doctor says you have a medical condition where it is more risky to have the air bag than it is to risk hitting your head, neck or chest in a crash.