According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, side-curtain bags have reduced driver deaths in side collisions by 37 percent. Side-torso bags have reduced driver fatalities 26 percent. Since 1999 a voluntary standard has minimized any risk side air bags posed to children; go to safercar.gov to see if your model meets that standard.
Side air bags will add around $600 to your negotiated price but, really, is this an area of the car where you want to be cheap?
The Verdict: The more your car looks like it was attacked by the Stay Puft marshmallow man in the event of a crash, the better off you'll be. Spend the money.
