All occupants should be properly restrained with either a safety belt or the proper child safety restraint, whether or not the vehicle has air bags.

Serious or even fatal air bag-related injuries can occur if occupants are not properly restrained and in a proper seating position.

Unrestrained or improperly restrained occupants will move forward during the hard braking before a crash. In addition to striking the interior of the vehicle, these occupants are very likely to be on top of the air bag as it begins to inflate.

For properly restrained occupants, most air bag injuries are minor cuts, bruises or abrasions and are far less serious than the head trauma injuries that air bags can prevent.

Even in vehicles with advanced frontal air bags, NHTSA still warns that serious or fatal injuries can occur if front seat occupants are not properly restrained and in a proper seating position.

If your vehicle is equipped with advanced frontal air bags, make sure you understand the meaning of the "PASS AIR BAG OFF" indicator light by visiting What should I do when the "PASS AIR BAG OFF" indicator light does not give me the expected result?

Dust off your owner's manual and familiarize yourself with the location and operation of all the air bags in your vehicle.