W22.12 Striking against or struck by front passenger side automobile airbag

ICD-10-CM Code W22.12: Striking Against or Struck by Front Passenger Side Automobile Airbag

ICD-10-CM code W22.12 identifies an instance where a person strikes against or is struck by a front passenger side automobile airbag. The terminology is active for the 2026 version and is classified under the broader parent concept of striking against or being struck by an automobile airbag. 1

Plain-language overview

Code W22.12 is designated for the event of striking against or being struck by a front passenger side automobile airbag, serving as a specific classification for this type of incident. 1

What this code represents

The concept W22.12 is an active 2026 ICD-10-CM terminology record with no narrower child concepts, and its semantic type is categorized as Injury or Poisoning. 1

This code is a billable diagnosis that specifically denotes striking against or being struck by a front passenger side automobile airbag, distinguishing it from the code for other automobile airbags. 3

Coding details

The parent concept for W22.12 is W22.1, which broadly covers striking against or being struck by an automobile airbag, placing the front passenger side code within this specific hierarchy. 1

Documentation considerations

The official terminology record for W22.12 includes a published abbreviation for the concept, which is listed as strike or struck by front passenger side automobile airbag. 1

The supplied sources do not establish specific clinical documentation elements required to support the use of this external cause code, aside from the official terminology and billable status. 1 3

What the sources add

While the terminology record defines the specific front passenger side airbag code, public health literature broadly identifies airbags as a vehicle safety improvement designed to reduce crash injury effects. 1 2

The terminology record establishes the official code definition and hierarchy, whereas the external cause code listing confirms its billable status and differentiates it from the W22.19 code for other airbags. 1 3

Coverage and utilization context

Although W22.12 is identified as a billable code, the supplied sources do not establish any payer-specific coverage guidelines or reimbursement policies for claims submitted with this diagnosis. 3

Sources

1. ICD-10-CM W22.12 terminology record — National Cancer Institute Enterprise Vocabulary Services; accessed 2026-07-27.
2. Motor Vehicle Injury Prevention — stacks.cdc.gov; accessed 2026-07-27.
3. Exposure to inanimate mechanical forces — s10.ai; accessed 2026-07-27.