Even though airbags are an important safety feature, they can cause serious injuries in certain circumstances. Though they have saved many lives, caution should be exercised by vehicle owners. Charleston Volkswagen repair shop Ottohaus suggests the following steps to avoid airbag injuries, which can be particularly dangerous for small children.
Wear Seat Belts
Always buckle up before you begin your travels and make sure that all of your passengers are also wearing their seat belts. Seat belts stop your forward motion if you get into an accident and prevent you from being hit forcefully by the airbag. Not having your seat belt fastened and being struck by the airbag increases the risk of facial and chest injuries.
Scoot Your Seat Back
Move your driver’s seat back as far as possible, but be sure you can comfortably reach your foot pedals. It’s recommended you be no closer than 10 inches from your steering wheel. Keeping this distance prevents the airbag from hitting your face when it deploys and gives your seatbelt time to stop your forward motion. – THIS IS INCORRECT. IF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYS, IT WILL STILL HIT THE DRIVER/OCCUPANT.
Keep Kids in the Back
It is imperative that children under 12 years of age not be allowed to ride in the front seat. Kids should be buckled up in the back seat, and toddlers should be securely fastened in their child seats. Airbags can deploy with incredible force and have been known to cause fatalities with children.
Maintain Your Airbags
If you are in an accident and your airbag deploys, or if your airbag warning light comes on, come by Charleston Volkswagen repair shop Ottohaus immediately. Once the airbag has deployed, it needs to be adequately reset or replaced. If there is a problem with the airbag, it can deploy without you being in an accident.
Ottohaus will assist you in making sure that your airbags will deploy properly if needed. Contact us today if your airbag in your Charleston Volkswagen needs attention. Our trained technicians will repair it promptly for your safety.
