Air Bag on/off feature?
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Joined: Dec 2000
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From: Nashville
Skarv says the air bag may be like a basketball but the dash is like a bowling ball. That misses the point. If you are properly restrained you won't hit the dash but an air bag will still hit you and it CAN kill a child. Believe me I Know.
A classmate and good friend of my grandson (about 7 at the time) was riding in the RF seat of a Chrysler minivan. She was properly restrained. A car ran a stop sign and her mother ran into a ditch to avoid the collision. A VERY minor impact but the bag went off and it killed the little girl. The case made national headlines and the resulting lawsuit was settled out of court.
A classmate and good friend of my grandson (about 7 at the time) was riding in the RF seat of a Chrysler minivan. She was properly restrained. A car ran a stop sign and her mother ran into a ditch to avoid the collision. A VERY minor impact but the bag went off and it killed the little girl. The case made national headlines and the resulting lawsuit was settled out of court.
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Joined: Mar 2001
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From: SF Bay Area
Not being an expert on this subject, I did recently see a report on the news that showed air bags tend to save lives more when the dashboard actualy moves -- not a typical fender bender or what have you -- but a real serious impact that forces the engine rearward into the cabin space ... IMHO, this is a LOT worse than being hit by ANY kind of ball; basket, bowling or other variety. I'll take my chances with the air bag.
That being the case, would your 10 year old be better or worse off in a severe crash with the air bag deployed?
I also agree with most posters here that a properly restrained 10 year old with seat all the way back is probably not even going to contact the airbag in a minor impact.
That being the case, would your 10 year old be better or worse off in a severe crash with the air bag deployed?
I also agree with most posters here that a properly restrained 10 year old with seat all the way back is probably not even going to contact the airbag in a minor impact.
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Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Frederick
You have four options with the airbags:
1. leave it alone and chance what the effect will be. For adult passengers, particularly those facing straight forward in a substantial crash, the benefit outweighs the risk, in my opinion. But if you have a child in the passenger seat, you are taking a substantial risk. A rear facing carseat is even worse. NHTSA will give permission for a switch for children and those who would be severely hurt by an airbag for medical reasons, or because they are short and the bag would hit them in the face.
An airbag switch just gives you a choice about whether to have an active airbag. If you want to turn it off, consider the following:
2. You can disconnect the passsenger airbag. Pulling the fuse won't do it since that option was one of the first considered by the car makers and they started powering it with a backup circuit that's not mentioned in the owners manual or even in the standard shop manual.
3. You can buy an airbag switch kit and install it yourself. The switch has to meet NHTSA's criteria to be legal.
4. You can have someone install the switch for you. You need NHTSA approval which involves filling out their form (you can download it from www.airbagonoff.com) and giving the permission letter you get back from NHTSA to the installer.
Disconnect instructions cost $85. (These include the procedure for resetting the codes when the airbag is reconnected)
An airbag switch kit with photo illustrated instructions costs $140 plus postage.
Having a switch installed depends on the installer but usually costs at least $350.
If you want to know more about airbags go to www.airbagonoff.com or call 301-473-7908
bob@ airbagonoff.com
1. leave it alone and chance what the effect will be. For adult passengers, particularly those facing straight forward in a substantial crash, the benefit outweighs the risk, in my opinion. But if you have a child in the passenger seat, you are taking a substantial risk. A rear facing carseat is even worse. NHTSA will give permission for a switch for children and those who would be severely hurt by an airbag for medical reasons, or because they are short and the bag would hit them in the face.
An airbag switch just gives you a choice about whether to have an active airbag. If you want to turn it off, consider the following:
2. You can disconnect the passsenger airbag. Pulling the fuse won't do it since that option was one of the first considered by the car makers and they started powering it with a backup circuit that's not mentioned in the owners manual or even in the standard shop manual.
3. You can buy an airbag switch kit and install it yourself. The switch has to meet NHTSA's criteria to be legal.
4. You can have someone install the switch for you. You need NHTSA approval which involves filling out their form (you can download it from www.airbagonoff.com) and giving the permission letter you get back from NHTSA to the installer.
Disconnect instructions cost $85. (These include the procedure for resetting the codes when the airbag is reconnected)
An airbag switch kit with photo illustrated instructions costs $140 plus postage.
Having a switch installed depends on the installer but usually costs at least $350.
If you want to know more about airbags go to www.airbagonoff.com or call 301-473-7908
bob@ airbagonoff.com
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,478
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From: San Leandro,
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Spa2K
[B]
Sorry, but I'm afraid you're wrong. The belt will lock to prevent any further forward motion of your body, but it will already have some slack in it and will never hold you solidly enough to the seat to prevent your being able to lean over
[B]
Sorry, but I'm afraid you're wrong. The belt will lock to prevent any further forward motion of your body, but it will already have some slack in it and will never hold you solidly enough to the seat to prevent your being able to lean over
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: San Leandro,
I know this is being a party pooper, but lets consider the facts:
Airbags are not nearly as big a threat to adults as they are to children, I think we all agree that as adults, we are less prone to air bag related deaths. HOwever, this is not the case for children. There are all kinds of controversy concerning airbags and kids.
If I were a parent or parent-to-be, I would choose my cars around my kids and not force my kids to "adapt" to the car I have chosen for myself or make some kind special modification, hoping my kid will survive the accident. I mean, if you're going to have kids or already have a kid, then you should buy a sedan/wagon/minivan, or other vehicle with back seats where you can safely seat your kids and not even have to worry about airbags. Its kind of like deciding what's more important, your own driving enjoyment, or the safety of your kids.
Airbags are not nearly as big a threat to adults as they are to children, I think we all agree that as adults, we are less prone to air bag related deaths. HOwever, this is not the case for children. There are all kinds of controversy concerning airbags and kids.
If I were a parent or parent-to-be, I would choose my cars around my kids and not force my kids to "adapt" to the car I have chosen for myself or make some kind special modification, hoping my kid will survive the accident. I mean, if you're going to have kids or already have a kid, then you should buy a sedan/wagon/minivan, or other vehicle with back seats where you can safely seat your kids and not even have to worry about airbags. Its kind of like deciding what's more important, your own driving enjoyment, or the safety of your kids.
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Joined: Dec 2000
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From: Nashville
The biggest question about airbags hasn't even been discussed in this thread. Why do we even have them? They are basically for people too lazy to buckle up and they are a TERRIBLE misuse of money. Consider the following:
1. Airbags are useless in a rollover. In an accident involving two or more collisons they go off with the first and then deflate before the second.
2. According to reliable statistics seat belts alone are about 40% effective, air bags alone are 20% effective and the two together are 50% effective. Thus airbags add only 10% to the equation with a properly belted person. OK, you say 10% is a lot but bear with me and read on.
3. Airbags can actually be a NEGATIVE since some people believe they are the be all solution and therfore don't put on their seat belt, thus putting themselves at greater risk than with a belt and w/o an airbag.
4. They DO kill children.
5. Now they are installing side airbags and even roof bags. Ford has roof (rollover) bags optional on some SUVs. Give me a break. What possible benefit could a roof airbag have with belted passengers? If you order that on your Explorer then you are just admitting you don't put on your belt or require your passengers to. Where will it end. Will back seat bags be next?
5. And last but not least they are VERY COST INEFFECTIVE. Consider the cost of putting airbags on every new car and the increased repar costs on cars involved in even minor collisons and we are talking BIG money, at least 25 BILLION annually. Now divide by the number of lives saved each year ( a couple of years ago NHSTA estimated bags had only saved a TOTAL of 2000 since inception) and it's a poor investment. Yes I know it's hard to put a value on a human life and there are those who say "if it saves just one life it's worth it" but that's not being realistic. Money doesn't grow on trees and the money that is available needs to be spent where it will do the most good.
6. Give me 25 BILLION to spend each year and let me spend it on driver training and education, getting drunk drivers off the road, seat belt education and enforcement, etc. and I FLAT OUT GUARANTEE YOU I WILL SAVE MANY MORE LIVES EACH YEAR THAN AIRBAGS DO. There ARE better ways to spend our money and anybody who doesn't understand that is just not facing the facts.
1. Airbags are useless in a rollover. In an accident involving two or more collisons they go off with the first and then deflate before the second.
2. According to reliable statistics seat belts alone are about 40% effective, air bags alone are 20% effective and the two together are 50% effective. Thus airbags add only 10% to the equation with a properly belted person. OK, you say 10% is a lot but bear with me and read on.
3. Airbags can actually be a NEGATIVE since some people believe they are the be all solution and therfore don't put on their seat belt, thus putting themselves at greater risk than with a belt and w/o an airbag.
4. They DO kill children.
5. Now they are installing side airbags and even roof bags. Ford has roof (rollover) bags optional on some SUVs. Give me a break. What possible benefit could a roof airbag have with belted passengers? If you order that on your Explorer then you are just admitting you don't put on your belt or require your passengers to. Where will it end. Will back seat bags be next?
5. And last but not least they are VERY COST INEFFECTIVE. Consider the cost of putting airbags on every new car and the increased repar costs on cars involved in even minor collisons and we are talking BIG money, at least 25 BILLION annually. Now divide by the number of lives saved each year ( a couple of years ago NHSTA estimated bags had only saved a TOTAL of 2000 since inception) and it's a poor investment. Yes I know it's hard to put a value on a human life and there are those who say "if it saves just one life it's worth it" but that's not being realistic. Money doesn't grow on trees and the money that is available needs to be spent where it will do the most good.
6. Give me 25 BILLION to spend each year and let me spend it on driver training and education, getting drunk drivers off the road, seat belt education and enforcement, etc. and I FLAT OUT GUARANTEE YOU I WILL SAVE MANY MORE LIVES EACH YEAR THAN AIRBAGS DO. There ARE better ways to spend our money and anybody who doesn't understand that is just not facing the facts.