[When safety becomes a danger. Penetrating trauma by side impact protection].

We report the case of a penetrating injury of the abdomen by an iron bar of a side impact protection after a traffic accident. The iron bar of the side impact protection entered the lateral thigh, penetrated the pelvis and retroperitoneum and left the body lateral of the spine at the L4 level. The patient was fixed by the iron bar to the car seat. The mechanism of the accident, the patient's symptoms and the initial treatment of the patient are described and discussed.