Airbag-induced lethal cervical trauma

In a frontal collision of a car (taxicab) perpendicular into a streetcar with an impact speed of approximately 30 kph (20 mph), the driver survived,vith minor injuries. The front-seat passenger was extremely ''out-of-position,'' with her seat positioned nearly fully forward, This in combination with her short stature led to fatal injuries resulting from the inflating airbag (U.S.-type) striking against her face and chin, At the scene, she was found essentially clinically dead, but was resuscitated and died finally 13 days later, Postmortem examination showed a complete disruption of all ventral ligaments between the base of the skull and the first and second vertebrae, a nearly complete ventral rupture of the medulla, and diffuse axonal injury of the brain.