Posted by
doche
17 yrs ago
Is it true that it is not allowed to switch off the navigator airbag to put a baby car seat on that front seat?
Cars come without the switch even in models that have it in other parts of the world like where I come from, in Europe.
I know there are many people against car seat in the front seat, but I have a newborn and will have to travel with him many times in the car and I would like to be able to see him. It is safer than having him facing back on the back seat where I cannot see what it is going on....
Please support our advertisers:
"It is safer than having him facing back on the back seat where I cannot see what it is going on...."
Nope. Back seat is safer, airbag switched off or not. He'll be just fine as long as he has nothing to play with that will potentially choke him.
If you want to see what is going on, get one of those mirrors you strap over one of the back seat headrests. That way you can check his status by looking in the rear view mirror.
Please support our advertisers:
doche
17 yrs ago
Sorry, but my experience with the first baby, who was a little "spewer", is that you want to see if he is ok or he is vomiting, if the sun is hitting him, etc...especially in long drives. WHen I said it was safer, I meant safer in terms of your driving, not being worried about what is going on behind you that you cannot see.
Anyway, the question is if there is a law in HK that prohibits the airbag switch.
Again, cars that have it in Europe seem to come to HK without it.
Please support our advertisers:
I see. Well I don't know the law, but it would seem a reasonable deduction that since the switches are not present they are prohibited.
As for seeing what is going on, one of the mirrors I spoke about should do it. All you would need to do is glance in the rear view mirror. Of course, you'd have to stop the car to actually fix an issue, but since you should probably be doing that anyway...
The sun hitting him is fixable with one or more suction cup sunshades.
Please support our advertisers:
the safest place for a baby is the middle seat at the back. it would be the furthest away from the airbags in case of impact. if you have the baby in the middle seat behind you, you can always check in your rear view mirror how bubba is getting along. having the baby in the front seat is NOT a good idea if you cannot disable the airbags.
anyway, in hk you rarely go on 'long' journeys, and my experience is that they end up sleeping if they find the journey too long.
Please support our advertisers:
As someone whose friends lost his 7 year old daughter in a car accident where the mother driving was paying far too much attention to the baby rather than the road I would never consider placing a baby in the front with a driver. It's as distracting as a mobile phone and even more dangerous.
In HK the % of drivers who drive long distance would be in single figures. For the short distances driven here mirrors are far more than enough.
Please support our advertisers:
Hi,
I understand your concern and also empathize with the other parents' views on this. On occasion, I would drive with my infant in the front seat and disable the airbag, although I agree that the safest place for the infant is in the back. I mostly did it in the beginning when my son wasn't used to the seat and got upset, but otherwise, he'd be in the back.
It never occurred to me that it would be illegal to disable the airbag (I checked the Transport Dept's website, and there was no mention of it), especially since I've seen local parents with their small children in their laps in the front seat. Also, the airbag warning for the front seat is clearly labeled on my car (Peugeot), so if it were illegal, I don't think that label would be prominently displayed.
Here's the bit about car seat safety for your reference:
http://www.td.gov.hk/road_safety/road_users_code/index/chapter_9_your_child_as_a_road_user/child_safety_in_cars_/index_t.htm
Hope this helps.
Please support our advertisers:
"since I've seen local parents with their small children in their laps in the front seat."
That sort of thing makes me so sad. Even a low energy impact can mean airbag deployment. For a small child, this can mean serious injury or death.
Come to think of it, the people who let their children sit without seat belts (in any seat) need to do some serious thinking. Sure, your kid may whine and complain, but that's just noise. Death is somewhat more permanent.
Please support our advertisers:
doche
17 yrs ago
Thanks, bluetapestries.
I have the same concerns about safety and would never let my child be seated on my lap or anyone's lap, but on his carseat and of course all buckled up. But as you said, when they are newborns, they are not used to carseats and get upset, my oldest (as I mentioned) was a "spewer" and vomited often....so I felt better being able to see him just with the corner of my eye. If the baby carseat is on the back seat, facing back, you cannot see him unless through a mirror.
Anyway, I have my reasons as some people would understand. But the point is that cars here come without the switch for the airbag. Even same cars that have it in Europe. The sticker says something like "make sure you switch airbag off before placing carseat on front seat", but switch is gone.
Please support our advertisers:
Yeah, it's a particularly sticky situation when you have a spewer and can't get to him/her in the back seat.
What kind of car do you have? That's odd that your car would have the sticker to remind you to switch the bag off when a switch isn't offered.
Please support our advertisers:
doche
17 yrs ago
I had the same issue in Dubai, where we were living before here. The car there, a model that had the switch in other countries, did not have it, but the sticker reminding you to switch airbag off before putting a carseat on the front seat was still there.
So I guess that's what they do, they make different cars of the same model depending on the country they are going to sell it. The ones that come to HK or to the UAE do not have that switch.
Please support our advertisers:
You must be logged in to be able to reply.
Login now
Copy Link
Facebook
Gmail
Mail