Citation

Huelke DF, Moore JL, Compton TW, Rouhana SW, Kileny PR. Accid. Anal. Prev. 1999; 31(6): 789-792.

Affiliation

University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, Ann Arbor 48109-2150, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10487354

Abstract

In an on-going research program, on the causation of injuries in motor vehicle accidents, at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, crashes with airbags have been, and are continuing to be, investigated. In order to determine the occurrence, if any, of 'hearing problems' associated with airbag deployments, drivers and passengers who had been involved in 'airbag' automobile crashes were interviewed by telephone. From the crashes investigated, 225 attempts were made to contact drivers who were exposed to airbag deployments. From these telephone interviews, contacts were made with 177 car occupants. Only three reported that they had experienced any type of hearing-related problems subsequent to their crash. One other case is reported of a driver who had pre-crash hearing loss. It appears that permanent hearing deficit due to airbag deployment, both in cars with the steering wheel airbag alone, and in those with a passenger side airbag, is an infrequent event (1.7%) from the data of this study.