PEDIATRIC AIRBAG INJURIES: THE OHIO EXPERIENCE

This study examines if properly restrained children under the age of 13 are at greater risk for trauma from airbag deployment than unrestrained children when placed in the front passenger seat. The charts of children treated at three regional pediatric trauma centers in Ohio were reviewed for airbag injuries sustained in motor vehicle crashes between January 1995 and September 1998. Injury Severity Scores (ISS) were compared with Mann-Whitney Rank Sum Test and outcome data with Fisher's Exact Tests. Results showed that 27 children aged one month to 12 years sustained airbag-related injuries. ISS ranged from 1 to 75 with a mean score of 10. All crashes were reported at speeds of less than 45mph and 64% were head-on collisions. No significant differences in the mean ISS occurred between groups. Both groups had similar closed head, ocular and facial injures, extremity fractures and number of deaths. Abdominal organ injury was exclusive to the restrained group. Decapitation occurred only among unrestrained children. These findings suggest that airbags can lead to serious or fatal injuries in children with or without proper safety restraints.

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• Corporate Authors:

  Elsevier

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• Authors:
  • Grisoni, E R
  • Pillai, S B
  • Volsko, T A
  • Mutabagani, K
  • Garcia, V
  • Haley, K
  • Schweer, L
  • Marsh, E
  • Cooney, D
• Publication Date: 2000-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 160-162
• Serial:
  • Journal of Pediatric Surgery
  • Volume: 35
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 0022-3468
  • EISSN: 1531-5037
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00223468

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Abdomen; Air bags; Child restraint systems; Children; Crashes; Eye; Face; Fatalities; Fractures (Anatomy); Front seat occupants; Frontal crashes; Head; Injuries
• Geographic Terms: Ohio
• Subject Areas: Highways; Passenger Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I84: Personal Injuries; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00927700
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 31 2002 12:00AM