When are front airbags not dangerous? 15 (yes, 15)

[Joolsplus2]

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2005/airbags_teens.html

"While current federally mandated warning labels in cars flag a risk for airbag injuries for children 12 and under, researchers at Oregon Health Sciences University found that the injury risk from passenger air bags remains high through age 14. "

Mothers, rejoice! The radio controls are yours for an extra couple of years :yay: (Seriously... what am I going to do in 4.5 years when I cant just throw my purse and all my other junk onto the front passenger seat? My DS will be there :p )

[GeekLady]

Surely minimum height and weight guidelines would be much more useful than ages, no? I know a handful of women who aren't materially bigger than I was at 14.

[AngelaS]

I agree--I've been this height since age 12. Granted I weigh a bit more.... LOL

[JBaxter]

My 13yr old is 5ft5 and 125 right now. Im sure he is bigger than some mommas on here. Im not understanding why it wouldnt be safe for him to ride in the front seat.

When I was working another woman in the office was 5ft and weighed 90lbs ( and had 2 children) She drove. I know my son is much more muscular/solid than she was/is.

[Joolsplus2]

"In contrast, air bags had a protective effect for teens aged 15-18. And the study showed that age may be a better indicator of risk from air-bag injury than height or weight.

Newgard and co-author Dr. Roger Lewis, an emergency-medicine researcher at the University of California-Los Angeles, said several body changes that take place during puberty, including muscle mass, bone density and bone-mineral content, may help explain why body size alone isn't a good measurement of risk from the air bags in children."

Age and development are the real factors, which is why it's less dangerous to forward face an 19 pound but otherwise healthy 2 yo (versus a 25 pound 11 month old), and a 4'10" adult is fine in front of an airbag.

Is the risk to a younger teen very low in the front seat anyway? Yes. Would we all be safer in the backseat? Yes. We just have to have the best information we can get to make such important decisions when the safety of our kiddos is at stake, KWIM? :love5:

[o_mom]

This was the best explanation of body development that I could find. Essentially, regardless of height, kids are not proportioned like adults until after puberty - so around age 15 or so. The growth plates are not closed, the hip bones are not developed. While they may have the outward height of an adult, they are not the same in structure.

http://www.coachr.org/growth_and_development.htm

[AngelaS]

Okay, that makes more sense now. Thanks!

[hez]

It makes sense-- thanks for the info! I think back to my mom who disliked 'being a chauffeur' and preferring that one of us to ride up front with her. It's funny how things change.

[DrSally]

Interesting. We'll see if we can enforce this when the time comes. You never know, teens might like feeling like they're being chauffered.

[JBaxter]

Interesting. We'll see if we can enforce this when the time comes. You never know, teens might like feeling like they're being chauffered.

I can tell you that answer is no

[Joolsplus2]

I can tell you that answer is no

LOL!

Yeah, this is really quite a big change from current standard practice, I don't really expect it to fly smoothly, just like every other change, it's going to take probably generations to become normal (and by then maybe the front seat will actually be safe... we can hope...).

:)