II.

Lighting

Purpose

High beams are generally used in open country when there are few other cars on the road or on dark city streets with no other traffic that would be affected by your high beams. Low beams are used at all other times, including while driving in fog, rain, or heavy snow. Taillights warn you of vehicle ahead of you, and brake lights warn you that the vehicle is slowing down or stopped. Back-up lights, turn signals and emergency flashers similarly serve the purpose of warning other drivers of various maneuvers a vehicle is taking.

Hours of Use

You should use your lighting as follows:

Visibility Requirements

You should dim your high beams when an oncoming vehicle gets within 500 feet. Similarly, change to low beams when you get closer than 300 feet of a vehicle ahead of you.

Like many other parts of your car, lighting is extremely important; you must keep headlamps clean at all times. Even a fine layer of film can reduce lighting by a significant percent. Headlights must be properly aligned to avoid blinding approaching drivers.

The following are some legal requirements with respect to lighting:

Lighting During Darkness

During darkness, a vehicle shall be equipped with lighting equipment. 24250

Lighting Distance Requirements

The requirement as to the distance from which any lighting equipment shall render a person or vehicle visible or within which any lighting equipment shall be visible, shall apply during darkness, directly ahead upon a straight, level, unlighted highway, and under normal atmospheric conditions. 24251

Lighting Equipment Requirements

All lighting equipment shall be maintained in good working order. Lamps shall be equipped with bulbs of the correct voltage rating corresponding to the nominal voltage at the lamp socket. 24252

(a) There shall be an uppermost distribution of light, or composite beam, so aimed and of such intensity as to reveal person and vehicles at a distance of at least 350 feet ahead for all conditions of loading.

(b) There shall be a lowermost distribution of light, or composite beam so aimed and of sufficient intensity to reveal a person or vehicle at a distance of at least 100 feet ahead. On a straight level road under any condition of loading none of the high intensity portion of the beam shall be directed to strike the eyes of an approaching driver. 24407

(a) Whenever the driver of vehicle approaches an oncoming vehicle within 500 feet, he shall use a distribution of light or composite beam so aimed that the glaring rays are not projected into the eyes of the oncoming driver.

(b) Whenever the driver of a vehicle follows another vehicle within 300 feet to the rear, he shall use the lowermost distribution of light. 24409

Vehicular Control: The purpose of the brake is to allow you to bring the vehicle to a complete stop by applying steady pressure on the brake pedal, and keep your vehicle in a smooth, straight line without drifting into another lane.

Stopping Requirements: Every motor vehicle must, upon application of the service brake, be capable of stopping from an initial speed of 20 miles per hour within certain specified distance depending upon the vehicle and its weight.

Every motor vehicle shall be equipped with a service brake system and every motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, shall be equipped with a parking brake system. Both the service brake and parking brake shall be separately applied. 26450

If the brakes squeal, or pull unevenly, they should be checked right away. The level of brake fluid in the master brake cylinder should be checked every time the engine is serviced. Brake linings should be checked at 15,000 and 25,000 miles and then every 5,000 miles after that.

The parking brake shall be adequate to hold the vehicle or combination of vehicles stationary on any grade on which it is operated under all conditions of loading on a surface free from snow, ice or loose material. In any event the parking brake shall be capable of locking the braked wheels to the limit of traction. 26451

All brakes and component parts thereof shall be maintained in good condition and in good working order. The brakes shall be adjusted as to operate as equally as practicable with respect to the wheels on opposite sides of the vehicle. 26453

Every motor vehicle or combination of vehicles, at anytime and under all conditions of loading, shall upon application of the service brake, be capable of stopping from an initial speed of 20 mph according to the following requirements:

Any passenger vehicle (25 ft). Any single motor vehicle weighing less than 10,000 pounds (30 ft). Any combination of vehicles consisting of a passenger vehicle or any motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 10,000 pounds in combination with any trailer, semi-trailer, or trailer coach (40 ft.). Any singer motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating or 10,000 pounds or more or any bus (40 ft.) All other combination of vehicles (50 ft.). 26454

Visibility: Keep your windshield and windows clean inside and out. Bright sun or headlights on a dirty window make it hard to see out. You should clear ice, frost, or dew from all windows before you drive.

It is illegal to block your view of the road by putting signs or other objects on the front windshield. Don't hang things on the mirror. Don't block your view through the back or side windows with objects or signs.

Make sure you are able to see and be seen. If you drive in rain or snow, you may have to stop sometimes to wipe mud or snow off your windshield, headlights, and taillights.

Screening: Tinted safety glass is allowed in a vehicle if the glass meet U. S. Department of Transportation standards and it is installed in a location permitted by those standards (VC 26708.5[b]). Motorists with sun-sensitive skin can use removable sun screens on their vehicle's side windows during daylight travel if they have a letter from their physician. The law, however, allows you to affix clear, colorless and transparent material to the front driver and passenger side windows for the specific purpose of reducing ultraviolet rays.

Requirements to Aid Visibility

Clean windshields; side windows; back windows; rear and side view mirrors, that are clean and adjusted ; windshield wipers; and a defroster that clears the moisture or frost from the inside of the front and rear windows.

It is illegal to block your view of the road by putting signs or other objects on the front windshield. Don't hang things on the mirror. Don't block your view through the back or side windows with objects or signs.

Never wear dark or sunglasses at night. Consult your eye doctor before wearing tinted contact lenses at night. They can make it hard to see. Don't wear eyeglasses with temples wide enough to keep you from seeing clearly to the sides.

Keep the windshield clean and free of ice, snow, or frost. Windshield must not be broken or cracked. Make sure your windshield wipers work properly. Also check your defroster.

A passenger vehicle other than a motorcycle, and every bus, motor truck or truck tractor, and every fire truck, fire engine or other fire apparatus, whether publicly or privately owned, must be equipped with an adequate windshield. 26700

Every motor vehicle, except motorcycles, equipped with a windshield must also be equipped with a self-operating windshield wiper.

Every new motor vehicle except motorcycles, must be equipped with two such windshield wipers, one mounted on the right half and one on the left half of the windshield, except that any motor vehicle may be equipped with a single wiper so long as it meets the wipe area requirements in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards Governing Windshield Wiping and Washing Systems. 26706

Windshield wipers must be maintained in good operating condition and must provide clear vision through the windshield for the driver. Wipers must be operated under conditions of fog, snow, or rain and be capable of effectively clearing the windshield under all ordinary storm or load conditions while the vehicle is in operation. 26707

No person shall drive any motor vehicle with any object or material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied in or upon the vehicle which obstructs or reduces the driver's clear view through the windshield or side windows. 26708

Sun screening devices shall meet the following requirements:

(a) The devices shall be held in place by means allowing ready removal from the window area, such as a frame, a rigid material with temporary fasteners, or a flexible roller shade.

(b) Devices utilizing transparent material shall be green, gray, or a neutral smoke in color and shall have a luminous transmittance of not less than 35 percent.

(c) Devices utilizing nontransparent louvers or other alternating patterns of opaque and open sections shall have an essentially uniform pattern over the entire surface, except for framing and supports. At least 35 percent of the device area shall be open and no individual louver or opaque section shall have a projected vertical dimension exceeding 3/16 inch.

(d) The devices shall not have a reflective quality exceeding 35 percent on either the inner or outer surface. 26708(b)(10)

There are, however, two restrictions on the use of these devices: a) the driver or a passenger in the front seat must have a certified medical condition that requires to be shaded from the sun;  b) these devices may not be used during darkness. 26708.2

Every motor vehicle subject to registration in this state, except a motorcycle, shall be equipped with not less than two mirrors including one affixed to the left hand side, so located as to reflect to the driver a view of the highway for a distance of at least 200 feet to the rear of such vehicle. 26709

It is unlawful to operate any motor vehicle upon a highway when the windshields or rear window is in such a defective condition as to impair the driver's vision to the front or rear. 26710

You should always adjust the seat, mirrors, and safety belt before starting your car. You may have a collision if you try to adjust them while driving.

Adjust your seat so that you are high enough to see the road. If you are still too low, you should use a seat cushion. Do this before putting on your safety belt.

Adjust your rear and side mirrors before you start driving. If your vehicle has day/night mirror, learn how to use it. The night setting reduces the headlight glare from cars behind you and helps you see better.

Purpose

The driver of a motor vehicle when reasonably necessary to insure safe operation shall give audible warning with his horn. 27001

The horn should be used to warn other drivers on the road that there may be danger. A gentle honk will usually be enough to get the attention of animals, pedestrians, or other drivers.

Sound your horn when necessary to avoid collisions. Don't honk at other times.

The horn should be capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than 200 ft. 27000

No driver of a vehicle shall operate, or permit the operation of, any sound amplification system which can be heard outside the vehicle from 50 or more feet when the vehicle is being operated upon a highway, unless that system is being operated to request assistance or warn of a hazardous situation. 27000

Although a defective horn is not likely to cause a collision, you must maintain it in good working order like any other part of the vehicle. Horn is an important warning device, and may prevent a collision.

Horns or Warning Devices: Every motor vehicle, when operated upon a highway, shall be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than 200 feet, but no horn shall emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound.

Every refuse or garbage truck purchased after September 1, 1983, shall be equipped with an automatic backup audible alarm which sounds on backing more than 36 inches and which is capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than 100 feet. 27000

Use of Horn: The driver of a motor vehicle when reasonably necessary to insure safe operation shall give audible warning with his horn. The horn shall not otherwise be used, except as a theft alarm system. 27001

Vehicle Control: A tire in good condition, will help you avoid skidding, slipping, sliding, or blowouts, which might cause you to end up in another vehicle's path of travel, or possibly hitting a pedestrian.

Traction: Driving on bald, or under-inflated tires will cause you to lose traction when driving on wet or slippery roads. When your tires lose their grip on the road's surface, you could go into a skid, or slide. It is important to try to keep the car from swerving out of the lane or spinning around and facing in the wrong direction.

Your tires should never be over inflated or under inflated. Pressure should never be allowed to fall below the car maker's or tire maker's suggested minimum. The minimum legal tread depth is 2/32 of an inch. The required thickness of rubber shall extend evenly around the entire periphery of the tire, without flat spots or bumpy rubber.

Check for cuts or blisters of the sidewalls and treads of your tires. Also check for nails glass, or metal stuck anywhere on the tires. Don't over inflate or under inflate. Rotate your tires front to rear every 4,000 to 6,000 miles. Check the tread by looking at the tread wear indicator bar that is built into the tire.

Safe driving tips: what to do in a tire blowout

It has been proven that automatic crash protection systems which require no action by vehicle occupants, such as seat belts, offer the best hope of reducing deaths and injuries in serious collisions. The use of seat belts reduces the chance of being thrown from the vehicle in a collision. In a crash, a person without a seat belt, will go flying through the windshield or into the steering wheel. Use of shoulder harness and lap belt will prevent serious or fatal injuries.

If you wear only a lap belt when driving, your chances of living through an collision are twice as good as those of someone who isn't. If you wear a lap and shoulder belt, your chances are three to four times better. You must wear both your lap and shoulder belt if the vehicle is equipped with both and if the vehicle is equipped with air bags.

Warning: The use of seat belts reduces the chance of being thrown from your vehicle in case of an collision. If you don't install and use a shoulder harness with the lap belt, serious or fatal injuries may happen in some crashes. Lap-only belts increase the chance of spinal column and abdominal injuries - especially in children. Shoulder harnesses may be available for your vehicle, if it is not already equipped with them.

The use of safety belt is required by law if your vehicle is a (an):

The safety belt must be in good working order. You and your passengers must wear a safety belt while the car is moving. If not, you or your passenger (age 16 or older) may be given a traffic ticket for not wearing a safety belt.

Safety belts can reduce injuries and deaths. Many studies and actual crash tests have proven this. Crash tests have also reinforced the proper way for pregnant women to wear lap and shoulder belts. Wear the lap belts as low as possible under the abdomen and the shoulder strap between the breasts and to the side of the abdomen's bulge.

It is your responsibility to ensure that the safety belt is in good working order. Check the seat belt and shoulder strap for any worn out spots, or breaks. The clasp must not be broken. Make sure you can still adjust and tighten them. If the seat belt is too loose, it will not stop you from going through the windshield or into the steering wheel, or, being thrown from the car.

Actually, there's no excuse for not using the seat belts. But the following are some of the excuses drivers have used for not wearing their seat belts. Does any of them look familiar to you?

Excuse No. 1: I'm only going a short distance to the store.

Remember, most collisions occur within 25 miles of your residence. No trip is too short not to wear the seat belts.

Excuse No. 2: Seat belts are inconvenient; I find them constricting.

They do in the beginning, but you'll get used to them within only a few days and then it will become second nature. In fact, you'll feel something is amiss is you've not put on your seat belts.

Excuse No. 3: Seat belts wrinkle my clothes.

Believe me, a few wrinkles on your clothes is a small price to pay to avoid getting your clothes stained with blood in an collision.

Excuse No. 4: I have an air bag in my car, so I do not need seat belts.

The truth is, the air bag without seat belts can do greater damage to you. In any collision the air bag will help you absorb the first impact, but without the seat belts your body will be flying inside the car like a rag doll. You may get thrown out of the car and hit the pavement, or even inside the car you may bang your head against the car or other passengers and suffer serious injury. Safety experts recommend both active and passive restraint systems.

Excuse No. 5: I may get trapped inside the car in an collision.

Every statistic shows that your chances of surviving a serious collision are infinitely better with seat belts than without. You'll be able to take off the seat belt in a second and free yourself from the car if you are conscious. You may have seen in a movie a person getting trapped inside a car underwater, unable to free himself due to the seat belt.  Collisions like these are extremely rare in real life.

Excuse No. 6: I'm strong and I can brace myself against the dashboard in an collision.

First of all, no one, no one, has such reflexes. Imagine yourself falling from the third floor and hitting the ground with your arms extended to break the fall. You'll be snapping your joints in the elbows and shoulders, like twigs .

Exercise: Do you know of any other excuses for not wearing seat belts?

A lot of scary stories are still told about safety belts. Many of the stories are not true. Have your heard some of these before?

"Safety belts can trap you inside a car." It actually takes less than a second to take off a safety belt. This type of scare tactic often describes a car that caught fire or sank in deep water.  Collisions like these seldom happen. Even if they do, a safety belt may keep you from being "knocked out." Your chance to escape will be better if your are conscious.

"Safety belts are good on long trips, but I don't need them if I'm driving around town." Half of all traffic deaths happen within 25 miles of home. Deaths can occur when drivers are going 40 mph or less. Don't take chances. Buckle up every time you drive.

"Some people are thrown clear in a crash and walk away with hardly a scratch." Your chances of surviving an collision are five times as good if you stay inside the car. Even if your car is hit form the side, a safety belt can keep you from being thrown out into the path of another car.

"I'm only going to the store. My little brother or sister doesn't need a child's car seat, anyway. It's too much hassle." Car collisions are the No. 1 preventable cause of death of children. More deadly than leukemia or muscular dystrophy, collisions also cripple or disfigure thousands of youngsters for life. Crash-tested child car seats reduce injuries and save lives. An older child can be placed on a crash-tested "safety booster seat," to properly fit a standard shoulder/lap belt. In an collision, a child can "fly" back and forth within the car, even at low speeds. Protect any small children in your car. Take time to buckle them up in safety belts or car seats. It's worth it, and the law requires that you do.

Most drivers, no matter how carefully they drive, will be involved in at least one traffic collision during their lifetime. The chances of being injured or killed are greater than you might think. About one person in three will be injured or killed in a traffic collision. Since there is no way a driver or passenger can completely eliminate the possibility of being involved in a collision, the best thing is to increase your chances of surviving by always using seat belts.

The pictures on the page illustrate what can happen in a collision. Your car stops, but you keep on going at the same speed you were traveling until you hit the dashboard or windshield. At 30 mph this is like hitting the ground from the top of a three-story building.

If you were struck from the side, the impact could push you back and forth across the seat. Belts and straps keep you in a better position to control the car.

Warning: While use of all seat belts reduces the chance of ejection, failure to use shoulder harnesses with lap belts can result in serious or fatal injuries in some crashes.

Child Passenger

A child may not ride in the front seat of a motor vehicle with an active passenger air bag if the child is under one year of age, weighs less than 20 pounds, or is riding in a rear-facing child passenger restraint system.

*These provisions do not become effective until January 1, 2005.

The vast majority of people don't need an on-off switch. Almost everyone over age 12 is much safer with air bags than without them. This includes short people, tall people, older people, pregnant women - in fact, all people, male or female, who buckle their seat belts and who can sit far enough back from their air bag. Ideally, you should sit with at least 10 inches between the center of your breastbone and the cover of your air bag. The nearer you can come to achieving the 10-inch distance, the lower your risk of being injured by the air bag and the higher your chance of being saved by the air bag. If you can get back almost 10 inches, the air bag will still help you in a crash.

If you cannot certify that you are, or any user of your vehicle is, in one of these groups, you are not eligible for an on-off switch. Turning off your air bag will not benefit you or the other users of your vehicle. Instead, it will increase the risk that you and the other users will suffer a head, neck, or chest injury by violently striking the steering wheel or dashboard in a moderate to severe crash.

Visit the NHTSA Web site at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov and click on the icon "AIR BAGS - Information about air bags." A video shows crash tests of properly belted dummies whose air bags are turned off. A properly belted short female dummy without an air bag is shown slamming her head hard enough to bend the steering wheel and suffer fatal injuries. For more information, call the NHTSA Hotline at 1-800-424-9393.

Air bags are designed to save lives and prevent injuries by cushioning occupants as they move forward in a front-end crash. By providing a cushion, an air bag keeps the occupant's head, neck, and chest from hitting the steering wheel or dashboard. To perform well, an air bag must deploy quickly. The force is greatest in the first 2 to 3 inches after the air bag bursts through its cover and begins to inflate. Those 2 to 3 inches are the "risk zone." The force decreases as the air bag inflates farther.

Occupants who are very close to or on top of the air bag when it begins to inflate can be hit with enough force to suffer serious injury or death. However, occupants who are properly restrained and sit 10 inches away from the air bag cover will contact the air bag only after it has completely or almost completely inflated. The air bag will then cushion and protect them from hitting the hard surfaces in the vehicle.

Yes, both children and adults face the risk of an air bag injury or death if they are positioned too close to the air bag or fail to use proper restraints. As of November 1, 1997, NHTSA has confirmed that 49 young children have died, all on the passenger side. Thirty-eight adults have died35 drivers and 3 passengers.

Almost all of the 49 children who died were improperly restrained or positioned. Twelve were infants under age 1 who were riding in rear-facing infant seats in front of the passenger air bag. When placed in the front seat, a rear-facing infant seat places an infant's head within a very few inches of the passenger air bag. In this position, an infant is almost certain to be injured if the air bag deploys. Rear facing infant seats must always be placed in the back seat.

The other 37 children ranged in age from 1 to 9 years; most were 7 or under. Twenty-nine of them were totally unrestrained. This includes four children who were sitting on the laps of other occupants. The remaining eight children included some who were riding with their shoulder belts behind them and some who were wearing lap and shoulder belts but who also should have been in booster seats because of their small size and weight. Booster seat use could have improved shoulder belt fit and performance. These various factors allowed the 37 children to get too dose to the air bag when it began to inflate.

Most of the adults who were killed by air bags were not properly restrained. Eighteen of the 35 drivers, and 2 of the 3 passengers, were totally unbelted. Two of the drivers who were belted had medical conditions which caused them to slump over the steering wheel immediately before the crash. A few of the drivers did not use their seat belts correctly and the others are believed to have been sitting too dose to the steering wheel.

First, move the seat back and buckle up every time, every trip. The lap belt needs to fit over your hips, not your abdomen, and the shoulder belt should lie on your chest and over your shoulder. Remove any slack from the belt. In a crash, seat belts stretch and slow down your movement toward the steering wheel or dashboard. Moving back and properly using seat belts give the air bag a chance to inflate before you move forward in a crash far enough to contact the air bag.

Never place a rear-facing infant seat in the front seat if the air bag is turned on. Always secure a rear-facing seat in the back seat. Children ages 12 and under should ride in the back seat. While almost all of the children killed by an air bag were 7 years old or younger, a few older children have been killed. Accordingly, age 12 is recommended to provide a margin of safety.

There are instances when children must sit in the front because the vehicle has no rear seat, there are too many children for all to ride in back, or a child has a medical condition that requires monitoring. If children must sit in the front seat, they should use the seat belts and/or child restraint appropriate for their weight or size (see the table at the end of this chapter) and sit against the back of the vehicle seat. The vehicle seat should be moved as far back from the air bag as practical. Make sure the child's shoulder belt stays on. If adult seat belts do not fit properly, use a booster seat. Also, children must never ride on the laps of others.

Always wear seat belts. This reduces the distance that they can move forward during a crash. Move the seat toward the rear. The distance between a passenger's chest and the dashboard where the air bag is stored is usually more than 10 inches, even with the passenger seat all the way forward. But more distance is safer.

There is no guarantee of safety in a crash, with or without an air bag. However, most of the people killed by air bags would not have been seriously injured if they had followed these safety tips.

Since the risk zone for driver air bags is the first 2 to 3 inches of inflation, placing yourself 10 inches from your driver air bag provides you with a clear margin of safety. This distance is measured from the center of the steering wheel to your breastbone. If you now sit less than 10 inches away, you can change your driving position in several ways:

Vehicle owners and lessees can obtain an on-off switch for one or both of their air bags only if they can certify that they are, or a user of their vehicle is, in one of the four risk groups listed below.

Two risk groups have a high enough risk that they would definitely be better off with an on-off switch:

Since the risk zone is the first 2 to 3 inches from the air bag cover, sitting back 10 inches provides a clear margin of safety. While getting back at least 10 inches is desirable, if you can get back almost 10 inches, the air bag is unlikely to seriously injure you in a crash, and you probably don't need an on-off switch. If you cannot get back almost 10 inches from the air bag cover, you may wish to consider an on-off switch. Since air bag performance differs among vehicle models, you may wish to consult your vehicle manufacturer for additional advice.

What If You Are, Or A User Of Your Vehicle Is, Not In One Of The Listed Risk Groups?

You are not at risk and do not need an on-off switch. This includes short people, tall people, older people, pregnant women in fact, all people, male or female over age 12, who buckle their seat belts and who can sit with 10 inches from the center of their breastbone to where the air bag is stored. You will have the full benefit of your air bag and will minimize the risk of violently striking the steering wheel and dashboard in a moderate to severe crash.

How Do I Get An On-Off Switch?

If you are eligible, you must fill out a NHTSA request form. Forms are available at state motor vehicle offices and may be available at automobile dealers and repair shops. You may also get one by calling the NHTSA Hotline or visiting the NHTSA Web site. On the form, you must indicate which air bags you want equipped with an on-off switch, certify that you have read this information brochure, certify that you are, or a user of your vehicle is, a member of a risk group listed above, and identify the group. Then send the form to NHTSA. Upon approval of your request, the agency will send you a letter authorizing an automobile dealer or repair shop to install an on-off switch in your vehicle.

Should A Pregnant Woman Get An On-Off Switch?

No, not unless she is a member of a risk group. Pregnant women should follow the same advice as other adults: buckle up, and stay back from the air bag. The lap belt should be positioned low on the abdomen, below the fetus, with the shoulder belt worn normally. Pull any slack out of the belt. Just as for everyone else, the greatest danger to a pregnant woman comes from slamming her head, neck, or chest on the steering wheel in a crash. When crashes occur, the fetus can be injured by striking the lower rim of the steering wheel or from crash forces concentrated in the area where a seat belt crosses the mother's abdomen. By helping to restrain the upper chest, the seat belt will keep a pregnant woman as far as possible from the steering wheel. The air bag will spread out the crash forces that would otherwise be concentrated by the seat belt.

If I Turn Off My Air Bag For Someone At Risk, What Precautions Should I Take For Others?

Since the air bag will not automatically turn itself back on after you turn it off with an on-off switch, you must remember to turn it on when someone who is not at risk is sitting in that seat. Every on off switch has a light to remind you when the air bag is turned off.

If I Turn Off My Air Bag, Will My Seat Belts Provide Enough Protection?

Air bags increase the protection you can get from seat belts alone. If the air bag is turned off, you lose this extra protection. In some newer vehicles, turning off your air bag may have additional consequences. These vehicles have seat belts that were specially designed to work together with air bags. If the crash forces become too great, these new seat belts "give" or yield to avoid concentrating too much force on your chest. The inflated air bag prevents you from moving too far forward after the seat belts give. Without the air bags to cushion this forward movement, the chance of the occupant hitting the vehicle interior increases .

Ask your vehicle manufacturer whether your seat belts were specially designed to work with an air bag. If they were, your dealer or repair shop will provide you information about the effects that turning off your air bag will have on the performance of the belts. Ask your dealer or repair shop to show you this information before you decide whether to have an on off switch installed.

Do I Need An On-Off Switch If I Buy A Vehicle With Depowered Air Bags?

Many manufacturers are installing depowered air bags beginning with their model year 1998 vehicles. They are called "depowered" because they deploy with less force than current air bags. They will reduce the risk of air bag-related injuries.

However, even with depowered air bags, rear-facing child seats still should never be placed in the front seat and children are still safest in the back seat. Contact your vehicle manufacturer for further information.

Manufacturers are actively developing so called "smart" or "advanced" air bags that may be able to tailor deployment based on crash severity, occupant size and position or seat belt use. These bags should eliminate the risks produced by current air bag designs. It is likely that vehicle manufacturers will introduce some form of advanced air bags over the next few years.

What Restraint is Right for Your Child?

Select only one answer per question and only complete chapter 2 questions. After answering the chapter two questions, hit the submit button to find your score. You must answer 100% of the questions correctly to move on to the next chapter.