Air Bags
All children 12 years old and younger should always ride in the back seat, and in the middle of the back seat whenever possible. All passengers must have their seat belts buckled.
Air bags present a serious danger for babies riding in rear-facing car seats. Never place a rear-facing infant seat in the front seat of a car that is equipped with a passenger-side air bag. The safest position for a child seat is wherever it fits securely in the back seat.
A convertible car seat or booster seat should be placed in the back seat. If you have no choice and must place a car seat in the front, push the seat as far back as it will go.
A law passed in 1995 allows car manufacturers to install a manual cut-off switch that temporarily disables a passenger-side air bag. As recommended by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, if you must place a car seat in the front seat (that is, if your car is a two-seater or if the car seat will not fit in the back seat) and your car has this cut-off switch, disable the air bag for the duration of the ride. Be sure to switch the air bag back on when you remove the car seat.
General Guidelines:
Air bags provide an extra degree of protection against crash injuries. They are meant to work with seat belts, not replace them. An air bag protects a front seat occupant in a head on crash by inflating upon impact and cushioning the occupant from colliding with the steering wheel, dashboard or windshield. The combination of seat belts and air bags offers maximum protection for motorists because they help the driver maintain control of the vehicle and help to avoid secondary collisions.
Air bags rapidly deploy from the steering wheel and/or dashboard. Most adults who are properly buckled up are safer in a vehicle with air bags, but the force of an air bag deploying may injure those who sit too close to it. You should sit with at least 10 inches between the center of your breastbone and the cover of your vehicle's air bag. Also, place your hands on the steering wheel at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions to keep them out of the way in the event of air bag deployment.
Always wear your seat belt.
Adjust the seat belt properly. Place the lap belt as low as possible over the
hips not over the abdomen. Ensure the shoulder belt lies on the chest
and over the shoulder. Do not leave any slack in the belt.
Adjust the vehicle’s front seats as far to the rear as possible to give the air
bags as much room as possible in which to inflate.
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