Passenger Airbags

There's no significant risk of airbag injury for properly belted adults sitting back in their seats. The risk on the passenger side is mostly to infants and children who are unrestrained or unbelted -- and the remedy is usually as simple as properly restraining them in the back seat.

Never put a rear-facing restraint in front with a passenger airbag. The child's head would be too close to the airbag. Instead, secure the infant restraint to the center back seat.

Should you consider an on/off switch for a passenger airbag? A switch so you can occasionally put a child up front might seem like a good idea. However, if you're in a hurry it's easy to forget about the switch. Besides, it's always safer for a small child to ride in back.

What if you transport too many infants or small children to put them all in a back seat? It's okay for an older child to ride up front, even with a passenger airbag, if the seat is all the way back and the child is secured in a lap/shoulder. If you routinely transport too many children to put them all in the back and worry about positioning a child up front, you may wish to get an on/off switch. If you do get one, remember to turn off the airbag when an infant or child must ride in front.

Also remember, airbags aren't alternatives to safety belts. Designed to work with belts, airbags provide additional protection, especially to people's heads and chests, in serious frontal crashes.