HS Form 603 Request for Air Bage On-Off Switch

Request for Air
Bag On-Off Switch

OMB No. 2127-0588
Expiration Date: xx/xx/xxxx

Paperwork Reduction Act Burden Statement: A federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond

to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act unless that collection of information displays a current valid OMB Control Number. The OMB Control Number for this information
collection is 2127-0588. Public reporting for this collection of information is estimated to be approximately 30 minutes per response, including the
time for reviewing instructions, completing and reviewing the collection of information. All responses to this collection of information are mandatory.
Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to:
Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590.
Vehicle Owner or Lessee Instructions: Read the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) information

brochure, Air Bags & On-Off Switches: Information for an Informed Decision. If you want authorization for your driver air bag, passenger
air bag, or both, fill out Parts A, B, E, and F completely, fill out Parts C and D as appropriate, and send this form to:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Attention: Air Bag Switch Requests (W-51)
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.
Washington, DC 20590-1000

For faster response due to mail delays throughout
the government sector, fax request to:

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Please print.
Please note: Incomplete forms will be returned to the owner or lessee.
If you need a copy of the brochure or have any questions about how to fill out this form, call the
NHTSA Hotline at 1-8888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

FAX: 202-493-2833

Phone (optional)

Part A. Name and Address
First
Street Address (Residence)

Middle

City

Last
State

ZIP Code

Part B. I own or lease the following vehicle (owners of multiple vehicles should consult the
additional instructions at the end of this form):
Make

Vehicle Identification Number (located on driver’s side of dashboard

Model

near windshield and on certification label on driver’s door frame)

Model Year

Part C. Switch for Driver Air Bag
I request authorization for the installation of an on-off switch for the driver air bag in my vehicle. I certify that I
or another driver of my vehicle meets the criteria for the risk group checked below. (At least one box must be
checked.)

Medical condition. The driver has a medical condition which, according to his or her physician:
• Causes the driver air bag to pose a special risk for the driver; and
• Makes the potential harm from the driver air bag in a crash greater than the potential harm from turning off that air bag and allowing the driver, even if belted, to hit the steering wheel, dashboard, or
windshield in a crash.

HS Form 603

Distance from driver air bag. Despite taking all reasonable steps to move back from the driver air
bag, the driver is not able to maintain a 10-inch distance from the center of his or her breastbone to the
center of the driver air bag cover.
OVER

Part D. Switch for Passenger Air Bag
I request authorization for the installation of an on-off switch for the passenger air bag in my vehicle. I certify that
I or another passenger in my vehicle meets the criteria for the risk group checked below. (At least one box must
be checked.)

Infant. I transport an infant (less than 1 year old) who must ride in the front seat because:

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Child age 1 to 12. A child age 1 to 12 must ride in the front seat because:

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My vehicle has no rear seat;
My vehicle has a rear seat too small to accommodate a rear-facing infant seat; or
The infant has a medical condition which, according to the infant’s physician, makes
it necessary for the infant to ride in the front seat so that the driver can constantly
monitor the child’s condition.
My vehicle has no rear seat;
Although children ages 1 to 12 ride in the rear seat(s) whenever possible, children ages
1 to 12 sometimes must ride in the front because no space is available in the rear
seat(s) of my vehicle; or
The child has a medical condition which, according to the child’s physician, makes
it necessary for the child to ride in the front seat so that the driver can constantly
monitor the child’s condition.

Medical condition. A passenger has a medical condition which, according to his or her physician:

• Causes the passenger air bag to pose a special risk for the passenger; and

• Makes the potential harm from the passenger air bag in a crash greater than the
potential harm from turning off that air bag and allowing the passenger, even if belted,
to hit the dashboard, or windshield in a crash.

Part E. I make this request based on the following certification and understandings
(check each box below after reading carefully):
Information brochure. I certify that I have read the NHTSA information brochure, Air Bags & On-Off
Switches: Information for an Informed Decision. I understand that air bags should be turned off only for
people at risk and turned back on for people not at risk.
Loss of air bag protection. I understand that turning off an air bag may have serious safety consequences.
When an air bag is off, even belted people may hit their head, neck, or chest on the steering wheel,
dashboard, or windshield in a moderate to serious crash. That possibility may be increased in some newer
vehicles with seat belts that are specially designed to work with the air bag. Those belts, which are designed
to reduce the concentration of crash forces on any single part of the body, typically allow the occupant to
move farther forward in a crash than older belts. Without the air bag to cushion this forward movement, the
chance of the occupant hitting the vehicle interior is increased.
Waiver. I understand that motor vehicle dealers and repair businesses may require me to sign a waiver of
liability before they install an on-off switch.

Part F. Certification

I certify to the U.S. Department of Transportation that the information, certifications, and understandings given or indicated by
me on this form are truthful, correct, and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief. I recognize that the statements I have
made on this form concern a matter within the jurisdiction of a department of the United States and that making a false, fictitious,
or fraudulent statement may render me subject to criminal prosecution under Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001.

Date

Signature of owner/lessee

Additional instructions and information for vehicle owners and lessees: An owner or lessee of multiple vehicles (e.g., a fleet owner) who
wants an on-off switch for the same air bag (e.g., just the passenger air bag) in more than one vehicle and for the same reason does not need
to submit a separate form for each vehicle. Instead, the owner or lessee may list the make, model, model year, and vehicle identification
number for each of those vehicles and attach the list to a copy of this form. Each page of the list must be signed and dated by the owner or
lessee. A list may also be attached to a single copy of this form if the owner or lessee wishes to request authorization for on-off switches for
both air bags in multiple vehicles.
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