Are air bags dangerous for children?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Yes. Currently air bags inflate at speeds of up to 200 mph. This blast of energy can severely hurt or kill passengers who are too close to the air bag. Children are more likely than adults to be too close to an air bag when it deploys. Until passenger vehicles are equipped with air bags that are safe and effective for children, those who are 12 years old and younger should not ride in a front passenger seat that is equipped with an air bag. Recommendations for preventing injuries to infants and children Child Passenger Safety – SAFEUSA • All children aged 12 years and younger should ride in the back seat for two important reasons. First, the back seat is generally the safest place in a vehicle during a crash. Second, children sitting in the front seat have been injured and killed by passenger air bags as they inflate in a crash. If your vehicle has a passenger air bag, children aged 12 years and younger should always ride in the back. • Infant
