Delta firefighters put together a short video to show the force airbags can have on a car seat, as a reminder to parents that children should be seated in the back of their vehicles.

The 30-second video, posted Wednesday, shows a child-sized dummy sitting in a car seat.

An airbag under the car seat is set off, and the seat is blown into the air. The dummy is knocked out of the seat and shoots into the sky.

Firefighters posted the video with the message that airbags can save lives, "there's no doubt."

But when it comes to a child, they can actually do more harm than good, because of the force they exert as they expand.

"Keep kids in the back seat please," Delta Firefighters posted on Twitter.

Transport Canada says children aged 12 and under can be transported safely in the front seat as long as they are properly belted, do not lean forward, and their seat is moved all the way back.

"But children sometimes sit or lean far forward and may slip out of their shoulder belts, putting themselves at risk," the website says.

"The simple act of leaning far forward to change the radio station can momentarily place even a belted child in danger."

The federal agency recommends that vehicle owners seat children in the back seat when possible. If not, they should consider turning off the airbags in vehicles equipped with an on-off switch.

The Transport Canada website also offers tips for adults on the safe use of airbags, including sitting so that their sternum is 25 centimetres away from their airbag.