Girl killed by impact of passenger airbag

London: A girl of ten was killed by a passenger airbag after her mother crashed while trying to help her send a text message, an inquest heard on Wednesday.

Chloe Bunney suffered a fractured skull when the safety device in the VW Golf activated with ‘colossal force' and smashed into her forehead.

The inquest heard that the schoolgirl was leaning forward in her seat when she asked her mother, Jolene Bunney, 30, to help her send a text message to her grandparents.

But as Bunney, a national account manager for a food firm, leaned over she lost control of the car which crashed into two other vehicles.

After the crash, witnesses heard Bunney say: "It's my fault, it's my fault — I looked at my phone."

No avail

A passer-by tried to revive Chloe, who was wearing a seat belt, but she never regained consciousness. She was pronounced dead in hospital a short time later.

The court heard that although two years below the recommended age to travel in the front passenger seat, Chloe was five inches taller than the legal height of four feet and four inches for travelling alongside the driver.