Experts give advice on preventing airbag theft

According to a Consumer Affairs report, in 2004 one of every 25 previously damaged vehicles had a dummy airbag—or no airbag at all. One California woman drove her repaired vehicle two years before finding that her driver’s side airbag consisted of mechanic rags. Only a handful of states have laws regulating airbag system replacement. Then, of course, there are the airbag thefts, approximately 75,000 annually, according to the New York Police Department auto crimes division. Experts recommend taking your pre-owned car to a trusted mechanic to check for an airbag, as well as visiting Carfax (www.carfax.com) to check your VIN for a crash history. For more fraud-busting tips, visit www.insurancefraud.org.