Common Air Bag Injuries and How to Prevent Them

Airbags were invented to help save lives during car accidents, and they do help.  However, often those same life-saving airbags can cause injuries of their own.  Some of the most common airbag injuries include:

  • Bruising or cuts to the face, chest and even arms (many people use their arms to shield their face during accidents)
  • Burns to the face, chest, or arms
  • Facial or rib cage fractures
  • Concussion
  • Hearing loss or ear trauma
  • Wrist trauma
  • Sprained fingers
  • Skin or throat irritation from substances used in airbags

The best way to prevent airbag injuries is to make sure you’re wearing your seatbelt and that your passengers are too.  If you’re very short it might be helpful to use pedal extensions, a “booster” seat or even to have the ability to turn off your airbag.  It’s best not to allow anyone under the age of 12 to ride in the front seat for this same reason and it’s especially important to make sure rear-facing car seats are not used in the front seat.

For answers to more questions about airbag injuries, give us a call at 243-3500.