NHTSA Complaint #10188212 — 2005 HONDA ODYSSEY

4 YEAR CHILD IN THE BACK DRIVERS SIDE SEAT, NOT THE THIRD ROW. VEHICLE IS EQUIPED WITH AN AUTOMATIC REAR SLIDING DOOR CLOSURE MECHANISM. THE DOOR CLOSURE SYSTEM HAS SAFETY MECHANISM THAT APPEARED TO BE FUCTIONING PROPERLY AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. WHEN AUTOMATIC DOOR WAS CLOSING CHILD PUT HER LEFT HAND BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE FRAME AS IT CLOSED. THE DOOR CONTINUED TO CLOSE AND COMPLETED THE LATCHING PROCESS WITH THE CHILD'S HAND CRUSHED BETWEEN THE DOOR AND THE FRAME. THE DOOR HAD TO BE OPENED TO EXTRACT THE CHILDS HAND. THE CHILD SUSTAINED SERVE CRUSHING INJURIES TO THE ENTIRE HAND, FROM THE PALM TO THE FINGER TIPS. THE CHILD WAS TAKEN IMMEADIATELY TO AN PEDIATRIC ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON. THE SURGEON X-RAYED THE HAND AND DETERMINED THAT ONE OF THE BONES ON THE MIDDLE FINGER HAD BEEN BROKEN. AFTER THE INCIDENT THE AUTOMATIC DOOR SAFETY MECHANISM APPEARED TO BE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. *AK