How tall you are may be a factor in automobile air bags providing safety in accidents

Statistics show that air bags can save lives but often actually cause death and injury.

One of the most important factors affecting air bag safety is the weight and, especially, the height of the vehicle’s occupants. Since height and weight are closely linked to gender, the effectiveness of air bags differs greatly for men and women. For example, nearly three-quarters of the drivers killed by air bags were women. In one study, air bags used in conjunction with seat belts reduced fatalities and injuries among male drivers by 11 percent but increased the harm to female drivers wearing seat belts by 9 percent. For people of small stature (shorter than 5 feet, 3 inches tall), air bags increased total harm. The data also show that age makes a difference. Drivers between the ages of 15 and 50 wearing seat belts were better protected with air bags. However, no clear evidence showed added protection for belted drivers over the age of 50.