Dear Tom and Ray:

I own a 1996 Honda Accord EX. I got married and haven't driven the car since. She drives the Accord, and I've been banished to her old car, a Chevy Beretta. I would like to disconnect the air bags on the Accord. My wife likes to sit very close to the steering wheel. Because of her proximity to the steering wheel and her small size, I'm concerned about her safety in an accident. What should I do? -- Scott

Ray: Well, first, you don't want to be an alarmist, Scott. In the latest statistics we saw, air bags were still saving a great many more people than they were killing or injuring.

Tom: According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 37 adults killed by air bags since 1990, and 26 of them were either not wearing their seatbelts, or not wearing them properly. So only 11 adults who were properly belted were actually killed by air bags. That's 11 too many, but it's important to keep things in perspective.

Ray: If you decide to have them disconnected, NHTSA says you must either have a medical reason for doing so, or you must be unable to sit at least 10 inches away from the steering wheel when driving. Some people can solve this problem by simply sitting back further. Others may be able to move further away from the steering wheel with the help of inexpensive pedal extenders, which move the gas and brake pedals closer to the driver. You can find a pedal extender provider by calling the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association at (813) 932-8566.

Tom: If your wife is unable, or unwilling, to sit more than 10 inches from the steering wheel, then here's what you have to do to get an air bag on-off switch installed in your car: Get a copy of NHTSA's brochure along with a request form. They're available at dealerships, state motor vehicle offices, from NHTSA in Washington, D.C., or on the web at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/airbags.

Ray: Fill out the form and send it to NHTSA. You must certify that you have read the brochure, you understand the risks and that you (or someone who drives your car) meets one of the specific risk criteria.

Tom: Then NHTSA will send an approval letter to the owner of the car, who can then take it to a dealership or service center and have the switch installed.

Ray: Two other things to note: Some dealerships have refused to install the switches, even to people with NHTSA approval, because they are afraid of the legal liability for disconnecting an air bag. So you may have to look around to find someone to do it.

Tom: Also, many cars, as of this year, have new, lower-powered air bags, which inflate slower and should not present any serious risk to vehicle occupants -- even people sitting less than 10 inches from the wheel. So if you buy a 1998 car or later, and it has "second generation" airbags, you can forget about this business altogether.

Ray: That's your best bet, Scott. Dump the Beretta, reclaim your '96 Accord, and buy your lovely new wife a nice, new 1998 car. Hey, no one ever said marriage was cheap!

Auto repairs can be costly! Save money by ordering Tom and Ray's pamphlet "Ten Ways You May Be Ruining Your Car Without Even Knowing It!" To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1998 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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