Review of Airbag Injuries: A Sri Lankan Case Series
Hulathduwa S. R. *
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka.
Priyanath W. A. K. M.
Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The deployment of airbags in vehicles has significantly contributed to occupant safety during accidents. This review article discusses their history, evolution, types, chemical composition, mechanisms, defects, safety issues and hazardous practices by vehicle occupants. The evolution of airbags, from early designs to advanced designs is presented highlighting their life-saving impact and defects. The article addresses common hazardous practices by vehicle occupants that could lead to airbag-related injuries such as resting hands or feet on the dashboard. A series of typical and atypical airbag-related injuries from Sri Lanka is given in the latter part of the article. These cases include incidents of metal objects detaching from airbags causing fatal injuries, fractures resulting from improper hand placement during airbag deployment, burns, cranio-facial and dental injuries and so on.
Keywords: Airbag, deployment, road safety, vehicle occupants, atypical injuries