CHENNAI: A seven-year-old boy died when an airbag deployed during a collision on Old Mahabalipuram Road near Thiruporur on Monday night. The child, identified as Kevin, son of Veeramuthu from Pudupattinam near Kalpakkam, was seated on his father’s lap in the front seat when the crash occurred.
According to police, the family was travelling from Kalpakkam to Chennai in a rental car driven by 26-year-old Vignesh. Near the Alathur petrol station, the driver of a vehicle ahead, identified as 48-year-old Suresh from Paiyanur, suddenly hit the brakes and swerved right without using an indicator. Caught off guard, Vignesh was unable to stop in time and rammed into the vehicle.
The front airbag deployed on impact, hitting Kevin. Although he had no visible injuries, he lost consciousness instantly. He was rushed to the Thiruporur government hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Police have registered a case of causing death by negligence and rash driving against Suresh, citing his sudden braking and failure to signal as the main causes of the crash.
Kevin’s body was sent to Chengalpattu Medical College and Hospital for postmortem. Preliminary findings suggest death due to shock and internal injuries caused by the airbag impact.
Authorities reminded motorists that children should never be seated in the front seat, especially on an adult’s lap, as airbags can deploy with fatal force even in low-speed collisions.
