NHTSA ISSUES CONSUMER ADVISORY ON SIDE AIR BAGS AND CHILD SAFETY

NHTSA
October 14, 1999

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Rae Tyson
Tel. No.: (202) 366-9550
October 14, 1999

The following consumer advisory was issued today by the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for owners of passenger cars and light trucks equipped with side air bags:

"Side impact air bags can provide significant supplemental safety benefits to adults in side impact crashes. However, children who are seated in close proximity to a side air bag may be at risk of serious or fatal injury, especially if the child’s head, neck, or chest is in close proximity to the air bag at the time of deployment. Because there are variations in the design and performance of side air bags, manufacturers should notify consumers regarding whether it is safe for children to sit next to the side air bags. Children 12 and under should always travel in the rear seat and use an age-appropriate restraint.

"Since children should be seated in the rear seat, NHTSA has asked each manufacturer of vehicles with rear side air bags to ship the vehicles to dealers with these air bags deactivated, unless the manufacturer has determined that those side air bags impose no significant risk to children. Purchasers who want such air bags activated, after being advised of the potential risk to out-of-position children, should be able to have them switched on by their dealer. We are also asking manufacturers to advise current owners of vehicles with such rear side air bags that the owners can bring them back to their dealer to have the bags deactivated if they are likely to be carrying children in the rear outboard seats."