Can air bags harm a pregnant driver or passenger?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is currently reviewing the effect of air bags on pregnant women, saying only that pregnant women should sit as far back from the air bag as possible. Indeed, all front-seat passengers should move the seat as far back as possible and tilt it slightly. This helps maximize the distance between the driver’s chest and the steering wheel. Avoid leaning or reaching forward, and sit back against the seat with as little slack in the belt as possible — this minimizes your forward movement in a crash and lets the air bag operate correctly. The NHTSA recommends that pregnant women wear their seatbelts with the shoulder portion positioned over the collarbone and the lap portion placed under the abdomen as low as possible on the hips and across the upper thighs — never above or over the abdomen. Until the NHTSA comes out with air bag guidelines for pregnant women, follow these suggestions and make sure you ride only with safe drivers.
