Injury reduction by the airbag in accidents.

Today an increasing number of automobiles are being equipped with additional passive safety devices: driver and passenger airbags. To examine the efficiency of the airbag in real road traffic accidents, a collective study was conducted from 181 traumatology centres throughout Germany. The inquiry was answered by 81 per cent of the medical centres contacted. From the evaluation of 122 accident victims in 1993 who were protected with an airbag the following was concluded. The patients treated in surgical and in traumatological departments suffered predominantly superficial injuries of the head, cervical vertebra and thorax. Some of these chiefly superficial wounds, such as abrasions and bruises, were initiated by contact with the airbag. It is remarkable that 72.1 per cent of the airbag-protected patients suffered a maximum of MAIS 2. What is also notable is the continuing high number of patients suffering from severe injuries (AIS 3+) of the lower extremities.