Special Crash Investigations: On-Site Air Bag Inflator Rupture Crash Investigation; Vehicle: 2002 Honda Civic; Location: Arizona; Crash Date: June 2018

This report documents the on-site investigation of an inflator rupture of a frontal air bag module in a 2002 Honda Civic involved in a nighttime two-vehicle crash in Arizona in June 2018. The inspection documented the ruptured driver air bag inflator, the air bag, and the steering wheel/column assembly and determined the inflator did rupture. The Honda was traveling at a passenger-reported speed of 104 km/h (65 mph) and was driven by a belted 54-year-old male. The front right seat was occupied by a belted 50-year-old female. The other vehicle in this crash was a 2017 Jeep Renegade driven by an 18-year-old female. The Jeep approached and entered the intersection. It was struck on the right plane by the front plane of the Honda. Both frontal air bags in the Honda deployed and the driver sustained left side neck and face injuries attributed to the air bag inflator. He was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and died three days later. The front right passenger was transported to a local hospital where she was treated and released. Based on available evidence, it was determined that the driver’s frontal air bag inflator ruptured during its Stage 1 deployment and displaced the Stage 2 inflator cap rearward toward the driver. The cap holed the air bag’s fabric and struck the driver on the left side of his face and neck, resulting in fatal injuries.

• Record URL:
  https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813006
• Corporate Authors:

  Dynamic Science, Incorporated

  Mission Viejo, CA  United States  92692

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Publication Date: 2020-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Technical Report
• Features: Figures; Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: 16p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air bags; Crash investigation; Fatalities; Intersections
• Geographic Terms: Arizona
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01761767
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT HS 813 006, Case Number DS19004
• Contract Numbers: 693JJ918C000012
• Files: HSL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Dec 14 2020 1:25PM