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Post by FireGurl on Apr 11, 2007 2:03:55 GMT -5
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Post by Hunter on Apr 15, 2007 21:18:22 GMT -5
AIR BAG SAFETY
Air bags save thousands of lives each year. Statistics indicate that air bags reduce driver fatalities in frontal crashes by about 30% and by 27% among passengers. Data on the performance of side air bags in crashes has also shown improvements in occupant safety.
However, air bags can be dangerous. If small children sit in the front seat, they can be catapulted into the path of a deploying air bag, which inflates with great force in a matter of seconds. Drivers should have all children sit in the backseat wearing a safety belt and small children and infants should be restrained in an appropriate child safety seat.
THE FACTS
Air bags are not soft, billowy pillows. Rather, to work effectively, an air bag comes out of the dashboard at a rate of up to 200 miles per hour - faster than the blink of an eye.
Air bags are safety devices designed to deploy in frontal crashes.
Side air bags help protect passengers in side crashes by cushioning the chest or head when the side of a vehicle hits an object or is struck by an oncoming car.
All new passenger cars are required to have driver and passenger air bags beginning with the 1998 model year.
Side air bags have been offered as standard or optional features for model years 2001 onward.
Occupants who are positioned too close to an air bag when it begins to deploy are at risk of serious injury. Small adults should position the seat so that their breastbone is at least 10 inches from the air bag cover.
Air bags are not a stand-alone safety system - they are designed to work with other safety features such as seat belts and the entire structure of the vehicle. It is the combination of all vehicle safety features that offers the added protection to all occupants and helps to save lives.
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Post by Hunter on Apr 15, 2007 21:18:40 GMT -5
AIR BAG & SEAT BELT SAFETY TIPS
Understanding how to maximize the lifesaving capabilities of these two primary safety devices minimizes risks and saves lives.
KIDS RIDE IN BACK. Infants should never ride in the front seat of a passenger vehicle equipped with an air bag. Children 12 and under should always ride buckled up in the back seat.
CHILD SAFETY SEATS. Young children and infants should ride in age and size appropriate child safety seats that are properly installed and correctly buckled in place.
WEAR BOTH LAP AND SHOULDER BELTS. The shoulder strap should cross the collarbone, and the lap belt should fit low and tight. Never slip the shoulder strap behind your back or under your arm.
MOVE THE FRONT SEATS BACK. Driver and front passenger seats should be moved as far back as possible, particularly for shorter people.
ONGOING IMPROVEMENTS & CHALLENGES
Vehicle and air bag manufacturers are continually working on improvements and modifications to improve safety.
Reducing the inflation power in both driver and passenger air bags. Improving crash sensors to distinguish between different crash forces and patterns - and adjusting inflation levels accordingly.
Equipping the air bags with multistage inflators that allow air bags to respond differently to different crash conditions.
Some newer vehicles are equipped with *occupant sensors* that adjust air bag inflation levels based on the occupant's seat location and restraint use.
KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT AIR BAGS
All air bags, old or new, can injure or kill - use common sense. Every person who drives or rides in a vehicle equipped with air bags must know that air bag safety means:
Always slide the seat back and sit back!
Buckle everyone!
Children in back, always!
Remember, at TD Insurance Group Services, our insurance professionals are always ready to serve you with all the care and expertise you deserve.
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