I do NOT
recommend that anyone request that their vehicle air bags be turned off due to
their allergy to corn; however, especially if you are anaphylactic to corn,
following are the instructions for disengaging the air bags.
Even though I am not anaphylactic to corn (yet), I
recently requested that my mechanic turn off the air bag in my car due to my
allergy to corn (I always wear my seat belt), since cornstarch and/or talc are
the primary ingredients. He stated that
this disconnect can only be approved by the NHTSA; and if it is due to a
medical condition; e.g., allergy to corn, the request must be accompanied by
certification from my physician.
This is the 2-page "Form to Request Air Bag On-Off
Switch" that I will be submitting to the NHTSA due to my corn allergy.
United States Department of Transportation, National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Instructions for Completing Form:
"An individual with a medical condition is safer if
the frontal air bag is turned off. A written statement from a physician must
accompany each request based on a medical condition unless the request is based
on a medical condition for which the National Conference on Medical Indications
for Air Bag Deactivation recommends deactivation. (For driver and/or passenger
frontal air bag as appropriate.)"
Contact the NHTSA via email (I sent them an email 9/16/18
with documentation confirming that cornstarch is NOT safe for corn-allergic
individuals)
Since I believe the NHTSA has determined that cornstarch
is safe based on the blatantly false statement by the ACAAI, I emailed them my
rebuttals to the ACAAI concerning cornstarch and corn syrup.
Argo Cornstarch Oral Challenge to Test Hypothesis
Presented by the ACAAI
[Conclusion: If
you are allergic/intolerant to corn, do NOT consume cornstarch. I suffered a
significant allergic reaction as a result of this oral challenge.]
My March 27, 2018, Certified Letter to the ACAAI Re: Cornstarch and Corn Syrup
ACAAI - My Rebuttal Concerning Cornstarch and High
Fructose Corn Syrup
Petition to Demand that the ACAAI Remove False Statement
Re: Cornstarch/High Fructose Corn Syrup
Removing a Food Protein Does Not Guarantee an Allergen
Hypoallergenic
Corn Allergy Statistics (Monthly) [Corn allergies have
increased by over 700% in the last 62 months.]
Other supporting articles you can submit with your
request that your air bag be disconnected:
"IS THE DUST THAT COMES OUT OF AN AIRBAG
TOXIC?", The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary
"The dust released from an airbag after deployment
is not toxic, but rather a mixture of corn-based powder that helps the rapid
propulsion of the airbag. It might cause irritation of the throat and itching,
watery eyes."
"So, the smoke and dust particles you see when an
airbag deploys may come from these various chemicals used to make the airbag
open and expand rapidly in the event of an emergency. Sodium azide (NaN3)
ensured the airbag device worked efficiently as soon as impact triggered it but
it is a potentially deadly chemical. Also, all the sodium azide from discarded
airbags was dangerous for the environment."
"Airbag saves man, then kills him,' by Chris
Matyszczyk, May 31, 2012, CNET
". . . a forensic pathologist talked about how
Smith's lungs were infected and that he died of bronchial pneumonia."
"Washington University's chemistry department says
that inside airbags is a mixture of NaN3, KNO3, and SiO2. The end result of the
chemical reaction is supposed to be silicate glass, which is safe."
"Still, even if Smith had known the airbag contained
dangerous chemicals, what could he have done to prevent himself breathing in
the noxious fumes?
"The Hidden Dangers of Airbags" June 22, 2010,
SciJourner
"Although in only small amounts, the NHTSA has found
that sodium hydroxide is causing coughing fits and asthma attacks in the
drivers and passengers. Rescue workers are advised to wear gloves and safety
glasses and to completely ventilate the car for several minutes before
entering. The excessive coughing caused by the air bag powder can also make a
chest injury worse."
"Sodium azide is an extremely toxic poison, capable
of destroying entire ecosystems. An undeployed airbag contains between 50 grams
for the driver side and 200 grams for the passenger side. After the airbag
reacts, all of the sodium azide should be converted to harmless nitrogen gas.
Undeployed airbags should be removed from cars before they are “junked” or put
into landfills in order to prevent unreacted sodium azide from getting into the
environment, recommends Betterton."
"Talc," Wikipedia
"In loose form, it is (in ratio with or without corn
starch) . . ."
"The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that
parents not use baby powder because it poses a risk of respiratory problems,
including breathing trouble and serious lung damage if the baby inhales it. The
small size of the particles makes it difficult to keep them out of the air
while applying the powder."
"With intravenous use, it may lead to pulmonary
talcosis, a granulomatous inflammation in the lungs."
"In the United States, the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
have set occupational exposure limits to respirable talc dusts at 2 mg/m3 over
an eight-hour workday. At levels of 1000 mg/m3, inhalation of talc is
considered immediately dangerous to life and health."
Healthline
"If you’re allergic to corn, you’ll want to stay
away from all of its forms, whether the corn is cooked, raw, in syrup, or in
flour."
Strict avoidance of a person's allergen is always advised
to avoid a possible anaphylactic reaction.
“Symptoms of a food allergy can range from mild to
severe. Just because an initial reaction causes few problems doesn’t mean that
all reactions will be similar; a food that triggered only mild symptoms on one
occasion may cause more severe symptoms at another time.”
"Patient education: Food allergy treatment and
avoidance (Beyond the Basics)," Scott H. Sicherer, MD, FAAAAI, UpToDate,
April 25, 2017
"People with food allergies can have serious or even
life-threatening reactions after consuming certain foods. The most important
strategy in the management of food allergies is to avoid eating these
foods."
UPDATE: NHTSA’s
9/18/18 reply to my email:
Workspace:
|
NHTSA Hotline Center
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Case:
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Cornstarch is NOT safe for
corn-allergic individuals
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Case Number:
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1270581
|
Date:
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09/18/2018
|
|
Time:
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11:00:27
|
Creation Date:
|
09/16/2018
|
|
Creation Time:
|
18:32:50
|
Symptom:
Entered on 09/18/2018 at 11:00:27 AM EDT
(GMT-0400) by Ann Marie L Ambrose:
Thank you for contacting the U.S. Department of
Transportation’s Vehicle Safety Hotline Information Center.
You may visit our web site at www.nhtsa.gov for information on Vehicle Air Bags. This site will
provide you with answers to Frequently Asked Questions as well as the
following:
•Applying for Air Bag On/Off Switch
•Air Bag Deactivation Requests
You may also send a request in writing to:
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration
Attention: Air Bag Deactivation Requests
1200 New Jersey AVE, SE
West Building
Washington, DC 20590
The request can also be faxed to 202-493-2833.
The request must contain the following: Name and address of the vehicle owner.
The justification for the request (must be one of four conditions as stated in
Under what circumstances will NHTSA allow air bag deactivation?). The letter
should be as specific as possible about the justification and state whether the
request applies to the driver or passenger air bag, or both. A description of
the facts creating the need for deactivation.
A statement from a physician based on a medical condition—only if the condition
is not one for which the National Conference recommended deactivation (see What are the medical conditions for which
an air bag may be deactivated?). [Emphasis added.]
The physician's statement must identify the particular condition of the patient
and include the physician's judgment that: Air bags pose a special risk to the
person with the medical condition, and The potential harm from the air bag
outweighs the potential harm from turning off the air bag and allowing the
person's head, neck or breast bone to hit the steering wheel, dashboard or
windshield. Note: Hitting the vehicle interior is likely in a moderate to
severe crash, even if the person is using seat belts.
If the request concerns a child who must ride in the front seat to enable the
driver to monitor the child's medical condition, the supporting physician's
statement must identify the condition and state that frequent monitoring by the
driver is necessary.
We hope that you find this information helpful. However, if you need additional
information on our services please feel free to contact us at
1-888-327-4236.
Thank you,
NHTSA.dot.gov Response
Team
Disclaimer: "This response is for information purposes only and does not
constitute an official communication of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
For an official response, please write U.S. Department of Transportation,
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE, West
Building, Washington, DC 20590.
UPDATE, 9/19/18:
“What are the medical conditions for which an air bag may be
deactivated?”
Note that an allergy to cornstarch is not
addressed.
“National Conference on Medical Indications for Air
Bag Disconnection”
https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.dot.gov/files/documents/airbag_conference_report_july_1997.pdf
UPDATE, 9/19/18, ARE FOOD ALLERGIES CONSIDERED
DISABILITIES UNDER THE ADA?:
My request to have my air bags deactivated due to my allergy to corn should be honored, since food allergies (in certain cases) are considered a disability under the ADA.
Diane H., Corn Allergy Advocate
Corn Allergy
Advocacy/Resources
@CornAllergy911
