Air bags can kill kids

Air bags are safety devices that supplement the protection provided by seat belts. But In order to protect the head and upper body in high-impact crashes, air bags must inflate so quickly, and with such force, that they can cause injuries, especially to children. While most of these injuries are minor, consisting only of bruises and abrasions, some are more serious, such as broken arms. In extreme cases, such as when the head or chest is against the module when it opens, fatal injuries can result.

Here is some advice from Transport Canada on how to prevent yourself and your kids being injured by a deploying air bag. And for a graphic demonstration of how powerful air bags are, check out the video clip below from Transport Canada's video Car Time: A New Attitude On Board: "The Kid Zone" (In The Back!) Then brush up on the four stages of safety restraint for kids in cars.

General guidelines:
• Always wear your seat belt. 
• Adjust the seat belt properly. Place the lap belt as low as possible over the hips—not over the abdomen. Ensure the shoulder belt lies on the chest and over the shoulder. Do not leave any slack in the belt.
•Adjust the vehicle's front seats as far to the rear as possible to give the air bags as much room as possible in which to inflate.

Guidelines for children:
• Children under the age of 12 should be seated in the back of the vehicle
• Make sure the infant restraint system, the child restraint system, or the booster cushion is properly suited to the child's height and weight.
• Always ensure that the restraint system is properly secured by the seat belt to the vehicle.
• Secure the child properly in the restraint system.
• Never install a rearward-facing infant restraint system in a seat equipped with an air bag.
• Never place the shoulder strap of a seat belt behind the child's back or under the arm.

Side air bags
Transport Canada has conducted extensive tests on side air bags with child crash test dummies. While testing is still ongoing, two main conclusions stand out:

1. Children who are leaning against a side air bag when it inflates are at risk of serious injury.
2. Children who are kept away from the path of the side air bag — for example, children travelling in age-appropriate, correctly installed child restraints — are not at risk of serious injury.

For more information on child restraints and other road safety issues, check out the Transport Canada website or call their Information Centre at 1-800-333-0371 (998-8616 from the Ottawa area).