Injuries That You Might Sustain Due to Airbag Deployment

We all know airbags are there to save lives. When your car gets hit, they inflate almost instantly, literally in the blink of an eye, to keep you from slamming into the dashboard, steering wheel, or windshield. And they do save lives. 

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, front airbags reduce driver fatalities by 30%. But just because something is designed to protect you doesn’t mean it can’t hurt you, too. And if something didn’t seem right about how your airbag worked, you might even have a case, especially if the airbag injuries were serious or long-term.

How Do Airbags Work? 

Airbags aren’t just soft balloons waiting to gently catch you. Inside your car, there’s a crash sensor that sends a signal when it detects a sudden deceleration, like when you crash. That signal fires off a chemical reaction, producing nitrogen gas that instantly inflates the airbag. All of this happens in about 30 milliseconds. That's faster than you can blink.

Now, to deploy that fast, the bag has to explode outward with a lot of force. And if your face or body is anywhere in its path, it’s not going to feel like a cushion; it’s going to feel like getting punched by a hot, rough pillow traveling at over 150 mph.

That’s why people often end up with bruises, burns, broken bones, or worse after an airbag deploys. And even though it might seem like these injuries only happen in serious crashes, they can also occur in relatively slow-speed collisions, especially if the airbag is faulty or you’re sitting too close.

Defective airbags are another big problem. Sometimes they deploy too late, or not at all. Sometimes they go off randomly without a crash. And in the worst cases, they explode with so much force that they send pieces of metal, called shrapnel, flying through the car. People have even died from it. 

Common Airbag Injuries

These are the most common types of airbag injuries:

Facial Injuries  

When an airbag deploys, the face is usually the first point of contact, especially for the driver. They’re likely to suffer busted noses, broken cheekbones, bruising, swelling, and cuts. 

In some cases, the impact is strong enough to cause orbital fractures or damage to the eyes. There have been rare but serious cases of people temporarily or even permanently losing their sight because of airbag trauma.

The face is also where the friction burns and chemical irritants tend to hit the hardest, especially around the mouth and eyes. Those red marks you see on someone's face after a crash are usually from the heat and friction of the airbag flying open, not just from the accident itself. 

Chest and Rib Injuries 

Chest pain after a crash could very well be from the airbag. When the bag hits your torso, the pressure can bruise or even fracture ribs. In extreme cases, there have been reports of cardiac injuries or lung contusions, especially when someone isn’t seated properly or was leaning forward at the time of deployment.

These injuries might be dismissed as just soreness or tightness. But if you’re having trouble breathing or if it hurts when you cough, take that seriously. You could be dealing with internal bruising or even small fractures. 

Hands, Arms, and Wrists Fractures

Your hands are probably on the steering wheel when the airbag goes off, which means they’re in direct line of deployment. That’s why drivers often end up with fractured fingers, sprained wrists, or bruised forearms. Passengers can also get injuries if their arms are resting on the dashboard or near the glove box. 

Neck and Spine Injuries 

Neck injuries from airbags usually happen because your head gets whipped back and forth, even with the seatbelt on. That jolt can lead to whiplash, muscle strain, or even minor spinal trauma. 

This is especially true in rear-end collisions or when the force of the airbag pushes your head backward too quickly.

In more serious cases, spinal fractures (particularly in the cervical spine) can happen. That’s the kind of injury that might lead to long-term physical therapy or, in worst-case scenarios, permanent nerve damage. 

Eye Injuries 

Particles, hot gases, and even debris can fly out when the airbag inflates, and if you're unlucky, that stuff ends up in your eyes. This can cause everything from temporary irritation to more serious injuries like corneal abrasions or chemical burns.

In some cases, the impact itself is what causes the damage, like a black eye or, worse, damage to the retina.