One of the most important things that you can do when you step into your vehicle is to buckle your safety belt. When used in conjunction with your air bag, you have the perfect pair to help save your life in the event of an accident. Drivers and passengers should not become complacent, though, with the advent of airbag use. Seat belts are still essential and work with the air bag. Your seating position in the vehicle in front of an air bag is critical. Adults need to sit the minimum of 10 inches from the steering wheel or airbag and be buckled up. You also need to stay sitting back in your seat, which puts you in the best position be protected in the event of an accident.

Children who are older and are legally able to sit in the seat themselves should always be buckled up and the proper distance from the air bag. Toddlers and infants should be in the proper protective seating and always in the back seat. If an airbag strikes a car seat that is placed forward facing in the front, they can sustain serious injury. If a car seat has to be placed in the front passenger seat, it should be faced to the rear and securely fastened in according to the manufacturer's instructions. By placing your child in the safest place and making sure that they are properly secured protects them from injury.

Seat belts must be fastened correctly for both children and adults when used with airbags. If a child pulls the belt under an arm or behind the back, they can be seriously hurt in a collision. Make sure to teach your child how to properly wear a seatbelt and make sure they do so. Adults should also wear the seatbelt so that the bottom strap is across the waist and shoulder strap is diagonal over the chest. These small measures can be the difference between life and death. When both the seatbelt and the airbag are used correctly as a team, they provide protection they were designed to give.