3.2.11) Can I disable the passenger's side airbag?
Description
This article is from the Toyota RAV4 FAQ, by Ralph Becker with numerous contributions by others.
3.2.11) Can I disable the passenger's side airbag?
Yes, but only under certain circumstances. Many people are
concerned about the safety of people, especially children and
small adults who sit in the front passenger's seat, because of
the recent reports of deaths and injuries in low speed
collisions caused by the deployment of the passenger's side
airbag. Most of the deaths and injuries occurred because the
occupant was not properly seated and using a seat belt at the
time of the accident, or an rear-facing infant car seat was
placed in the front seat.
The best action to take is to carefully follow the instructions
for safe operation of the airbags. Always wear your safety belt,
and keep kids buckled in the back seat at all times.
There is also a procedure you can follow to get an airbag disable
switch installed. You need to fill out a form and get a certificate
that allows you get a switch installed. NHTSA has a comprehensive
page at their web site that has complete instructions, background
information, and a copy of the form. The site is at
<http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/airbags/>
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