Fatal automobile accident due to airbag misdeployment

Abstract

The purpose of this case report was to demonstrate a fatal motor vehicle accident in which a 33-year-old man died at the scene immediately after his car collided with the roadside curbstone at a normal speed. The autopsy of the deceased body revealed a penetrating injury on the neck as he was struck by the deployed airbag. Pathological examination showed the offending material to be a fractured cylinder-shaped metal piece, which had settled within the fourth cervical vertebral body. Further forensic engineering investigation of the airbag unit found that the metal fragment originated from a defective airbag gas generator, which had exploded upon deployment. These findings reflect on the increasing popularity of airbag-associated trauma across the globe in recent years. We suggest an effective management plan for the evaluation and mitigation of the complications associated with airbag-related incidents.

Sphenoid sinus foreign body following airbag deployment in the United States: a case report

“…Injuries related to airbag deployment mostly affect the face (42%), with minor burns and abrasions being typical [12]. Serious cases of penetrating injury attributed to airbag deployment have been reported [13,14], and in the past decade, several automobile fatalities were directly attributed to defective airbags. In November 2014, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ordered a nationwide recall of Takata airbags, affecting 34 million vehicles on US roads, the largest automobile recall in history.…”