Airbags are an important safety feature that can help save lives and prevent severe injuries in an auto accident. However, they also can cause injuries when you do not follow safety warnings. Airbag injuries can be incredibly devastating because of the extreme amount of force they exert when deploying. To protect yourself and your passengers, it is important to understand how to ensure your airbags will keep you safe and not harm you.
Staying safe requires understanding how airbags could harm you. How Stuff Works explains that the problems come from the force used to deploy an airbag. They shoot out from your steering column, dashboard and other areas of your vehicle with great force that can often be equal to the force of another vehicle hitting yours. However, proper safety precautions can protect you from this force.
Keep your distance
The design of airbags is to work best when you are at least 10 inches away from them. This means you need to make sure your seat is back far enough. If you sit close to the steering wheel in order to reach the pedals, then you can recline your seat to provide the necessary distance.
Furthermore, you need to ensure the airbag does not point at your head or neck. You should sit in a position that allows it to point at your chest.
Use your seat belt
Airbags are most effective when you use them in conjunction with a seat belt. Manufacturers made airbags to work with a seat belt and all configurations match the testing done with seat belts. Your seat belt provides the stop and distance you need to avoid serious injuries from the force of the airbag deployment.