Children and Airbags
The American Academy of Pediatrics states that children below the age of 13 should be seated in the back seat of the vehicle, to remain safe from the airbag. Children are twice as likely to suffer an injury from an automobile accident if they are placed in front of an airbag, than if they weren’t.
Never, under any circumstances place an infant in a rear-facing car seat, and place them in a seat with an airbag. If the airbag deploys, because the baby is near the dashboard and in the path of the airbag, all the force from the airbag will be transferred to the back of the baby’s head.
An infant in a forward-facing car seat should always be put in one of the rear seats, away from an airbag. In one of these seats, the child is even closer to the airbag, if placed in the front seat, and is at a greater risk. All children will be the safest if placed in one of the rear seats.
An older child, sitting in the front seat, should always wear a shoulder safety belt. Teenagers who sit in the front seat without a seat belt tend to sit closer to the dashboard, which would place them closer to the airbag. If a child is old enough and fit the weight and height requirements to sit in the front seat, they need to use the adult seat belt. A combination of the airbag and seat belt will keep them protected during a crash.
Here are ways to keep a teenager safe in the front seat:
* Move the seat as far from the dashboard, and airbag, as possible.
* Keep the seat belt fitted to their body, and have them sit up, against the seat.
* Have your child avoid forward when changing the radio or air conditioning.
Seating Multiple Children
If multiple children are riding in the vehicle, make sure, if they are under 13 years old, that they all ride in the back seat. If you don’t have enough back seats for the amount of children riding, research a car seat check in your area. If there aren’t enough seat belts for all the children, you need to make other arrangements. Whether it’s carpooling with a friend or buying a bigger vehicle with more seats, you need to make sure all children are in proper seats, with proper seat belts.
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