We know that airbags save lives, but when it comes to young children, they can be dangerous. We take a look at safety precautions when driving with children, correct car seat use, and how to deactivate your airbags, should you need to.
Buckle up
All children, regardless of age, how much they hate their car seat, or how far you are going, should wear a seatbelt. Failure to do so could be fatal. The government laws and recommendations on car seats change regularly and can be confusing, but here are the basics:
- Children must use a car seat until they are either 12 years old, or over 135cm tall.
- If you use a height-based seat, babies under 15 months old MUST be rear-facing.
- Weight-based seats can be faced forward or to the rear, but babies under 13 kg must be in rear-facing seats and babies and children under 15 kg must be in a seat with a harness. From 15kg up, parents can choose from a booster or seat with a harness, safety shield or seatbelt.
- It is advisable that all children ride in the back, unless there isn’t enough space.
Airbags
If you can’t avoid placing a child or infant in a car seat in the front of the car, it is important that you take the correct precautions:
- Babies in rear-facing seats should never be in the front with an active airbag – make sure you deactivate the airbag.
- Children over one year or 10kg can travel in the front in an appropriate seat, if it is unavoidable. Ensure the seat is moved as far back as it will go.
Deactivating airbags
Some airbags have an on/off switch that will allow you to switch them off if your passenger is a baby in a rear-facing car seat or an adult with a medical condition that puts them at exceptionally high risk from the airbag. However, switching off your airbags should be a last resort as forgetting not to switch them on again could cost lives. If you do deactivate your air bag for a journey, set yourself a reminder to switch it on again.
If you can’t find your on/off switch or you are unsure about whether you ought to deactivate your airbags, get in touch with a local garage and see if they can help you. Most will be more than happy to help at a relatively low cost.
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