Airbags and driver safety

[TrailDust]

Copied from another member's thread in the Highlander forum for repost here:


I am posting this as a result of an accident my neighbor had in her Camry.
She is a short (vertically challenged) woman and as a result drives with her seat fully forward so she can reach the pedals.

Last week she was shopping and thought she had put the gear shift in reverse but it ended up in Drive. She stepped on the gas hard enough to send her Camry forward into a concrete wall and set off the front air bags.

As a result of not having the recommended 10 inches between the steering wheel and her breast bone, she is now in the hospital with broken ribs and a ruptured spleen.

So....I am posting the words from section 1.7 in the manual regarding air bag safety for all of those you know that are also "vertically challenged".

The solution seems to be tilt the seat back to get at least 10 inches from the steering wheel.

From the Safety section of the Highlander manual
The SRS driver airbag deploys with considerable force, and can cause death or serious injury especially if the driver is very close to the airbag.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NTSHA) advises:

· Since the risk zone for the drivers' airbag is the first 2-3 inches of inflation, placing yourself 10 in. (250 mm) from your driver airbag provides you with a clear margin of safety. This distance is measured from the center of the steering wheel to your breastbone.

If you sit less than 10 in. (250 mm) away now, you can change your driving position in several ways:

· Move your seat to the rear as far as you can while still reaching the pedals comfortably.

· Slightly recline the back of the seat
Although vehicle designs vary, many drivers can achieve the 10 in. (250 mm) distance, even with the driver seat all the way forward, simply by reclining the back of the seat somewhat.
If reclining the back of your seat makes it hard to see the road, raise yourself by using a firm, non-slippery cushion, or raise the seat if your vehicle has that feature.

· If your steering wheel is adjustable, tilt it downward. This points the air bag toward your chest instead of your head and neck.

The seat should be adjusted as recommended by NHTSA above, while still maintaining control of the foot pedals, steering wheel, and your view of the instrument panel controls.

-