CASE STUDY - ALKALI EYE INJURY SECONDARY TO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT

Sodium azide is the primary propellent used to generate the nitrogen gas that inflates automobile air bags. The combustion process also produces an alkaline aerosol containing a small quantity of sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate. Alkaline substances are well known for their ability to penetrate the eye and cause serious ocular injury. This paper reports the results of a multidisciplinary investigation into a high-severity, offset-frontal impact involving air bag deployment. The 52-year-old, female driver of the case vehicle survived the collision with no life-threatening injuries due to the protection provided by her seat belt and air bag. However, she sustained a serious alkali injury to her left eye presumably from exposure to the aerosol released through the air bag vents. She also sustained multiple fractures of her upper and lower extremities (MAIS-3) due to occupant compartment intrusion. (A)

• Corporate Authors:

  Universite de Montreal

  Centre de Recherche sur Les Transports
  C.P. 6128 Succursale Centre-ville
  Montreal H3C 3J7, Quebec  Canada 
• Authors:
  • WHITE, J
  • MCCLAFFERTY, K J
  • SHKRUM, M J
  • NOWAK, E S
  • ORTON, R B
  • TOKAREWICZ, A C
• Publication Date: 1995

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 387-94
• Serial:
  • Publication of: UNIVERSITE DE MONTREAL. LABORATOIRE SUR LA SECURITE DES TRANSPORTS. CENTRE DE RECHERCHE SUR LES TRANSPORTS
  • Publisher: Universite de Montreal

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air bags; Alkali; Conferences; Crashes; Injuries; Safety; Vehicle occupants; Vision
• Geographic Terms: Canada
• ITRD Terms: 1643: Accident; 1465: Air bag (restraint system); 7353: Alkali; 8018: Canada; 1631: Collision; 8525: Conference; 2163: Injury; 1665: Safety; 1715: Vehicle occupant; 2066: Vision
• Subject Areas: Passenger Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00749486
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transportation Association of Canada (TAC)
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Jun 26 1998 12:00AM