This artide presents a case report of a husband and wife who were involved in a high-speed, head-on road traffic accident (RTA). Both had seat-belt restraints. Air bag deployment occurred on the driver's side only. Both patients sustained sternal fractures with the husband's fracture more displaced, resulting in an increased analgesic requirement and hospital stay for him. This highlights the need to remain vigilant for more serious injuries in a patient with the combined protection of both seat-belt restraint and air bag compared to seat-belt restraint only, especially when multiple patients are injured in the same vehicle. This article discusses the history and mechanism of air bag function with a review of air bag safety following RTAs. (Author/publisher)
Abstract