Fatal automobile accident due to airbag misdeployment

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CASE REPORT

Fatal automobile accident due to airbag misdeployment Younis M. Albalooshi 1 & Hazem M. Sherif 1 & Sulaiman M. Alzarooni 2 & Mohammad A. Alqassim 2 Received: 28 April 2020 / Accepted: 5 November 2020 # Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020

Abstract The purpose of this case report was to demonstrate a fatal motor vehicle accident in which a 33-year-old man died at the scene immediately after his car collided with the roadside curbstone at a normal speed. The autopsy of the deceased body revealed a penetrating injury on the neck as he was struck by the deployed airbag. Pathological examination showed the offending material to be a fractured cylinder-shaped metal piece, which had settled within the fourth cervical vertebral body. Further forensic engineering investigation of the airbag unit found that the metal fragment originated from a defective airbag gas generator, which had exploded upon deployment. These findings reflect on the increasing popularity of airbag-associated trauma across the globe in recent years. We suggest an effective management plan for the evaluation and mitigation of the complications associated with airbag-related incidents. Keywords Case report . Car accident . Airbag inflation . Autopsy . Forensic engineering

Introduction Airbags are a type of passive safety restraint systems made to reduce mortality and mitigate occupant injury in the event of an automobile accident. Their main purpose is to minimize the effects of collisions by protecting vital body parts from injuries, primarily the upper extremity, including the head and the chest [1]. These systems are typically controlled by a central airbag control unit (ACU) that triggers a fabric bag inflation extremely quickly through the activation of a gas generator embedded within the system behind the steering wheel boss. Some earlier researches have demonstrated that airbag systems, if properly designed, with the association of other safety systems such as passenger seat belts, can reduce up to 67% of mortality incidents [2]. On the other hand, there are numerous previously reported incidents of human death due to malfunctioning of airbags supplied by various manufacturers, in the past decade [3, 4]. In this report, we present an

* Mohammad A. Alqassim [email protected] 1

Forensic Medicine Department, General Department of Forensic Science and Criminology, Dubai Police GHQ, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

2

Specialty Forensic Evidence Department, General Department of Forensic Science and Criminology, Dubai Police GHQ, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

interesting case in which a 33-year-old man died at the scene immediately after his motor vehicle impinged the roadside curbstone. This case differs from earlier studies in that a detailed forensic engineering investigation has been conducted alongside the medical examination of the human body.

Case presentation According to the traffic accident report, the deceased person was driving his sedan at a speed that did not exceed the maximum specified speed

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