What is a critical safety rule regarding child seats and airbags?

• A. Always disable airbags for every seat when a child is present.
• B. Always position child seats in the rear seats away from airbags.
• C. A rear-facing seat is safe in front of an active airbag if space is limited.
• D. Never place a rear-facing seat in front of an active airbag.

Answer: (D)

Airbags deploy with high force, and a rear-facing child seat relies on the seat’s back to protect the child’s head and neck. If that seat is in front of an active airbag, the deploying airbag can strike the child and cause serious injury or death. Therefore, the critical safety rule is never to place a rear-facing child seat in front of an active airbag. The safest practice is to install child seats in the rear seat, away from any airbags. If there is no alternative and a front-seat installation is absolutely necessary, disable the passenger airbag and push the seat back as far as possible, but only if the vehicle supports it and the seat can be installed securely.