Full of hot air

Critics should understand air bags' benefits

In recent months, there has been something akin to frenzy over air bags. Last week, reversing its previous decision that mandated air bag production in all new cars, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration allowed car owners access to an "on-off switch" that controls air bag usage. This decision followed the release of research blaming air bags in the deaths of 45 children since 1993. But, overlooked were the unsafe habits of the adult drivers involved in these cases. Most of these air bag deaths resulted from not wearing seat belts or from careless driving, not from an air cushion embedded within a dashboard. Personal safety is the responsibility of all drivers, not the job of air bags.

According to a survey, six million people would like to disconnect their air bags, proof positive of the spreading belief that a technology meant to save is instead deployed with such violent force that it becomes lethal. Since 1990, the air bag has been fingered as the killer of 87 people in the United States, including 49 children. Perpetuating this fear, the public only hears such tragic cases and places no blame on the driver or the adult responsible for the child's safety.

Instead, blame is placed solely upon the air bag. Barely noted is that in more than two-thirds of the cases - involving 23 adults and 37 children - the victim either wasn't secured to a seat at all or was secured improperly. Wearing a seat belt is the law in every state nationwide except one. If the victims had been secured, odds are that many would be alive today. Restraints would have kept them at a safe distance from the air bag.

The majority of air bag deaths occurred within the last two years, well after it became known that air bags were not the blanket good manufacturers claimed, but instead, had the power to kill under certain conditions. Moreover, parents are still strapping toddlers to the front seat in rear-facing safety seats - leaving their heads dangerously close to the air-bag compartment - long after the NHTSA said all children younger than 13 should be in a rear seat, the safest place in a vehicle.

Once again, personal safety and responsibility is overlooked. Society is quick to blame new technology instead of careless parents and drivers. Over the years, air bags have saved the lives of nearly 1,900 people who were not wearing seat belts at the time of an accident. This is 21 times the number of people whom air bags have killed. It also has saved the lives of 700 people who were wearing seat belts, because not even a seat belt is sufficient in some crashes.

Last week, the NHTSA said it would allow people to turn off a bag if, for example, they are so short they wind up sitting dangerously close to the air bag or if their vehicle has no back seat and a child must ride up front. But, many people who do not meet these conditions will deactivate their air bag anyway, simply because they are afraid. Sadly, some of those who deactivate will die because they won't wear a seat belt or, even if they do, will be in a crash in which the air bag would have made the difference.

The evidence suggests a better chance of survival with an air bag than without. As long as children ride in the back seat and seat belts are fastened, they will probably not be harmed by air bags. Parents and drivers need to take responsibility. Society must stop blaming the air bag and instead look toward the carelessness of those on the road.

11-26-97