Samenvatting
Records were reviewed for the 1,369 seatbelt-restrained drivers admitted to Maryland (USA) hospitals in 1993 and 1994. The aim was to assess the effect of airbags on patterns of injuries sustained in vehicular crashes. The airbag group had a lower incidence of spinal, thoracic, abdominal and serious facial injuries. However, this group also had a higher incidence of brain injuries and upper and lower extremity fractures. This study of a relatively small sample suggests that airbags are associated with changing patterns of injury. Additional studies involving larger study groups and crash reconstructions are warranted to further elucidate injury patterns associated with airbag deployment. (A)