Air Bag Safety for Infants, Toddlers and Children - The Children's of Philadelphia

>> AIRBAGS HAVE SAVED THOUSANDS OF LIVES
AND PREVENTED MILLIONS OF INJURIES TO ADULT PASSENGERS
SINCE CARMAKERS STARTED INSTALLING THEM IN THE 1980S,
BUT FOR CHILDREN UNDER 13, FRONTAL AIRBAGS CAN
BE FATAL.
FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAGS ARE IN THE DASHBOARD
AND ARE DESIGNED TO INFLATE AND FILL THE SPACE BETWEEN
THE OCCUPANT AND THE DASHBOARD TO PROTECT AN ADULT IN A CRASH.
BUT FOR CHILDREN UNDER 13 YEARS OF AGE,
SITTING IN FRONT OF AN AIRBAG DOUBLES THEIR RISK
OF SERIOUS INJURY.
MICHAEL NANCE IS A DOCTOR AT THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
OF PHILADELPHIA WHO IS AN EXPERT AT TREATING INJURED
CHILDREN.
>> WHEN A HEAD-ON CRASH OCCURS,
SEAT BELTS AND AIRBAGS ARE DESIGNED TO WORK TOGETHER
TO HELP PASSENGERS COME TO A GRADUAL STOP AND TO PROTECT
AGAINST INJURIES.
BUT FOR A CHILD IN THE SAME SITUATION,
THE RAPIDLY-INFLATING AIRBAG CAN PULL THE HEAD AWAY FROM
THE BODY RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY AND SOMETIMES DEATH.
>> A REAR-FACING CHILD CAN ALSO BE KILLED FROM
THE FORCE OF AN AIRBAG HITTING THE BACK OF THEIR SAFETY SEAT.
NEVER PLACE A REAR-FACING CHILD IN A SEAT WITH
A FRONTAL AIRBAG.
THE BEST PROTECTION IS TO PUT YOUR CHILD IN THE RIGHT
RESTRAINT FOR YOUR CHILD'S AGE AND SIZE IN THE BACK
SEAT OF YOUR VEHICLE EACH AND EVERY TIME YOU TRAVEL.
AIRBAGS HAVE BEEN IMPROVED SINCE THE EARLY 80S,
BUT EVEN NOW THE RISK OF FATAL OR CRITICAL INJURY
FOR CHILDREN REMAINS HIGH.
FOR THAT REASON, CHILDREN UNDER 13 SHOULD NEVER BE
SEATED IN THE FRONT SEAT OF A VEHICLE WITH
A PASSENGER AIRBAG.
THERE MAY BE TIMES WHEN YOUR CHILD MUST RIDE
IN THE FRONT SEAT.
YOU MAY BE DRIVING A PICKUP TRUCK OR SPORTS CAR WITH NO
BACK SEAT, HAVE MORE CHILDREN IN THE CAR THAN CAN
SAFELY FIT IN THE REAR SEAT, OR YOUR CHILD HAS A MEDICAL
CONDITION THAT MAY REQUIRE YOUR ATTENTION.
IF A CHILD MUST RIDE IN THE FRONT VEHICLE SEAT
WITH A PASSENGER AIRBAG, MOVE THE VEHICLE SEAT
AS FAR BACK AS POSSIBLE AND MAKE
SURE HE IS CORRECTLY RESTRAINED.
JUST REMEMBER CHILDREN SITTING IN FRONT OF AN AIRBAG
DURING A CRASH ARE AT DOUBLE THE RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY.
SO BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO EXPOSE YOUR CHILD TO THAT RISK,
YOU SHOULD CONSIDER ALL YOUR OPTIONS.
WHENEVER POSSIBLE, AVOID TRANSPORTING INFANTS
AND CHILDREN IN VEHICLES WITHOUT REAR SEATS AND MAKE SURE
THEY ARE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.
IF YOUR CHILD REQUIRES CONSTANT ATTENTION,
MAKE SURE THERE IS AN ADULT RIDING IN THE BACK SEAT.
AS THE DRIVER, YOU NEED TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD.
SOME VEHICLES NOW COME WITH SIDE AIRBAGS IN ADDITION
TO FRONTAL ONES THAT CAN PROTECT PASSENGERS
AND DRIVERS IN SIDE-IMPACT CRASHES AND ROLLOVERS.
SIDE AIRBAGS AND CURTAIN AIRBAGS CAN COME OUT
OF THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE SEAT OR FROM THE ROOF ABOVE
THE WINDOW AND CAN PROVIDE PROTECTION FOR BOTH
THE FRONT AND BACK PASSENGERS.
SOME CARS MAY HAVE SIDE AIRBAGS IN THE REAR SEAT
THAT COME OUT OF THE SEAT BACK OR DOOR.
SIDE AIRBAGS MAY BE HARMFUL TO CHILDREN WHO ARE LEANING
AGAINST THE DOOR.
SIDE AIRBAGS ARE SMALLER THAN FRONT AIRBAGS
AND INFLATE WITH MUCH LESS FORCE.
BUT IF THE CHILD'S HEAD IS TOO CLOSE TO THE SIDE
AIRBAG, YOUR CHILD COULD SUFFER A SERIOUS INJURY.
CONSULT YOUR OWNER'S MANUAL TO LEARN IF IT IS SAFE FOR
CHILDREN TO SIT NEXT TO A SIDE AIRBAG IN YOUR VEHICLE.
IN ALL VEHICLES WITH SIDE AIRBAGS,
TEACH YOUR CHILDREN NOT TO LEAN AGAINST THE DOOR.
PICKUP TRUCKS AND OTHER VEHICLES WITHOUT A BACK SEAT
HAVE ON/OFF SWITCHES FOR THE AIRBAG.
IN ADDITION, THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY
ADMINISTRATION MAKES SOME EXCEPTIONS FOR CONSUMERS
WITH SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES WHO NEED TO HAVE AIRBAG
ON/OFF SWITCHES INSTALLED IN THEIR CARS.
IF A CHILD MUST RIDE IN THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE,
BE SURE TO TURN THE AIRBAG OFF,
ESPECIALLY FOR A REAR-FACING SEAT.
YOU MUST REMEMBER TO TURN THE AIRBAG BACK ON
FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE NEXT ADULT PASSENGER.
FOR MORE GOOD ADVICE ON KIDS AND CARS,
LOOK FOR A CERTIFIED CAR SEAT TECHNICIAN IN YOUR AREA.
YOU MAY FIND A FREE CHILD, SAFETY SEAT CHECKPOINT
OR CAR SEAT CHECK AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL,
POLICE OR FIRE DEPARTMENT OR STATE HIGHWAY SAFETY OFFICE.
AND REMEMBER, CRASHES HAPPEN,
BUT WITH PROPER PRECAUTIONS, SERIOUS INJURIES DON'T HAVE TO.
THIS PRESENTATION WAS CREATED BY THE KOHL'S INJURY
PREVENTION PROGRAM AND THE CENTER FOR INJURY RESEARCH
AND PREVENTION AT THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA.