Air Bags: Think Before You Make the Switch
Drivers should think twice before they install on-off switches in their automobile's air bags, cautioned the Western Insurance Information Service.
While air bags are credited with saving more than 2,600 lives to date, a new National Highway Safety Administration ruling will allow the deactivation of air bags through installation of cut-off switches.
Though widespread air bag deactivation was considered a viable deterrent to injuries and deaths caused by deploying air bags, now only those meeting certain medical or other requirements will be eligible for the cut-off switches. Those consumers will be required, under penalty of perjury, to certify that their condition or situation merits disabling their air bag.
While the switches are necessary for a limited number of drivers, nearly every motorist can eliminate the risk of injury by buckling up and positioning themselves at least 10 inches from the air bag.
Drivers should consider the following air bag facts:
Every passenger should wear a seat belt at all times. Belts and air bags work in coordination -- not in place of one another. Using the combination of the two reduces the risk of serious head injury by 75 percent.
Children belong in the back seat. Of the 49 children killed by air bags, all were sitting in the front seat, and 28 were not wearing a seat belt.
Never place a rear-facing infant seat in the front. The impact of an air bag can instantly kill or injure your child.
Air bags reduce adult injuries and death. Air bags have reduced death rates by 11 percent for passengers and 14 percent for drivers in all kinds of crashes.
Installing the deactivation switch is expected to cost between $50 and $200.
We are pleased to provide this "Bulletin" as a service to you. While this information was obtained from sources believed to be reliable, its accuracy is not guaranteed. It does not change or alter insurance contracts or coverages.
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