Those who are committed to injury prevention and control are working toward changing the paradigm from one in which injuries are perceived as random accidents to one in which they are researched and treated like any other preventable health problem. During this last year 2 reports have highlighted the value of researching patterns of injury occurrence and of using the fruits of that research to design better prevention programs. These reports also point to the responsibilities of physicians in preventing injuries. Air bags are clearly a valuable supplement to seat belts in preventing fatal and nonfatal injuries associated with motor vehicle crashes. Despite this, the CDC report suggested that air bags may have caused some deaths that would not otherwise have occurred.
Air bags do save lives, especially when used in conjunction with proper seat restraints.
Previous studies have made it clear that children are better protected when sitting in a properly fitted restraint and in the back seat. All 32 deaths reported by the CDC could potentially have been prevented. Such advice should become part of standard preventive care by physicians who provide care for families with young children. Air bags have also been associated with other new patterns of injury. Short drivers who need to sit close to the steering wheel are exposed to greater forces from air bags.