INJURY REDUCTION BY THE AIRBAG IN ACCIDENTS

Today an increasing number of automobiles are being equipped with addi tional passive safety devices: driver and passenger airbags. To examin e the efficiency of the airbag in real road traffic accidents, ct coll ective study teas conducted from 181 traumatology centres throughout G ermany. The inquiry was answered by 81 per cent of the medical centres contacted. From the evaluation of 122 accident victims in 1993 who we re protected with an airbag the following was concluded. The patients treated in surgical and in traumatological departments suffered predom inantly superficial injuries of the head cervical vertebra and thorax. Same of these chiefly superficial wounds, such as abrasions and bruis es, were initiated by contact with the airbag. It is remarkable that 7 2.1 per cent of the airbag-protected patients suffered a maximum of MA IS 2. What is also notable is the continuing high number of patients s uffering from severe injuries (AIS 3 +) of the lower extremities. Copy right (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.