The effects of depowered airbags on eye injuries in frontal automobile crashes

The purpose of this study was to investigate eye injuries resulting from frontal automobile crashes and to determine the effects of depowered airbags. The National Automotive Sampling System database files from 1993 to 2000 were examined in a 3-part investigation of 22 236 individual crashes. Of the 2 103 308 occupants exposed to a full powered deployment, 3.7% sustained an eye injury compared to 1.7% of the 310 039 occupants exposed to a depowered airbag deployment. Occupants were at a significantly higher risk to sustain an airbag-induced eye injury when exposed to a full powered airbag compared with occupants exposed to a depowered airbag deployment (P = .04). Approximately, 90% of the eye injuries in full powered airbag deployments were caused by the airbag, compared to only 35% of the depowered airbag eye injuries.