SAFE NATURAL CURES & LIVING

Today, kids 13 or over are allowed to ride in the front seat of a car with a passenger-side airbag, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommendations.  Some parents may even think that their younger child is safe if he is tall for his age.

Dr. Craig Newgard is assistant professor of emergency medicine in the Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine’s Center for Policy and Research in Emergency Medicine, and an emergency physician at OHSU and Doernbecher hospitals.   He “felt it was time to study whether more children could be at risk, and assess whether age or body size were good measurement guidelines.”

According to his 2005 study, “children 14 and younger were at high risk for serious injury from air bags when they sat in the front passenger seat during car crashes.  In contrast, air bags had a protective effect for children aged 15 to 18.  In addition, the study showed age may be a better indicator of risk than height or weight.”

“Several body changes during puberty, such as muscle mass, bone density, and bone mineral content, may help explain why body size isn’t a good measurement of risk in children.”

Automakers have switched to airbags with sensors for the front passenger seat, to deploy with less force than a regular airbag.  The sensor may be able to detect the passenger’s weight, but not the age.

If a child under 15 must ride in the front seat of a car, it is only safe if there is no airbag at all, or if the airbag can be turned off or set to a lower force.  In addition, the child must use a lap belt and shoulder harness.