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Airbag mediated death of a two-year-old child wearing a shoulder/lap belt

J T Cooper1, L E Balding, F B Jordan

  • 1Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, State of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City 73117, USA.

Journal of Forensic Sciences
|September 8, 1998
PubMed

Insights

Airbag deployment can be fatal to children, even when restrained. This case highlights severe spinal cord injury in a young child from airbag impact during a low-speed crash.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Traumatology
  • Automotive Safety
  • Forensic Pathology

Background:

  • Airbag systems are designed to protect adult occupants but pose risks to children.
  • Previous fatalities often involved unrestrained children or those in rear-facing infant seats.
  • The potential for airbag-related injury in children, even when properly restrained, requires further investigation.

Observation:

  • A two-year-old female sustained fatal injuries in a low-speed collision.
  • The child was a front-seat passenger in a vehicle equipped with dual airbags and was wearing a shoulder/lap belt.
  • The secondary impact with the deploying airbag caused severe occipitoatlantoaxial disarticulation and spinal cord separation.

Findings:

  • The airbag impact resulted in catastrophic spinal trauma, including disarticulation at the occiput-C1-C2 level.
  • Associated injuries included thermal burns and abrasions to the right forearm and patterned facial abrasions.
  • The mechanism of injury was secondary impact with the airbag during a low-speed collision.

Implications:

  • Airbag-related fatalities in children warrant consideration even in low-speed incidents.
  • Forensic examination should specifically look for signs of airbag-induced trauma in pediatric traffic fatalities.
  • Vehicle safety standards may need re-evaluation to better protect child occupants from airbag-related injuries.

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