This content is not included in
your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.
Determination of Seatbelt Use Following a Crash
Technical Paper
2020-01-0643
ISSN: 0148-7191, e-ISSN: 2688-3627
This content contains downloadable datasets
Annotation ability available
Sector:
Language:
English
Abstract
When investigating a vehicle crash, the issue of seatbelt usage is frequently part of the information needed to perform an occupant kinematics or injury analysis. A physical inspection of the vehicle is the preferred method to investigate seatbelt usage. However, if the vehicle is no longer available, or the condition has changed since the time of the crash, preventing analysis of seatbelt usage by an occupant, the investigators must rely on other available evidence to assess occupant seatbelt usage. This would typically include a review of the police report, scene or early photographs of the vehicle, physical marks on the occupant in medical records and statements from witnesses. More recently, event data recorders (EDR) can provide data regarding seatbelt status for front seat occupants, and occasionally, rear seat occupants. However, the EDR data must have been previously recovered or the vehicle must be available.
In cases where the available data is limited or includes only subjective data such as a police report or statements of occupants, some investigators have used the post-crash seatbelt position to determine seatbelt usage at the time of the impact.
The theory is if the seatbelt is retracted or stowed post-crash, it was not in use at the time of the collision. The validity of this theory was investigated using EDR data from the NHTSA Crash Investigation Sampling System (CISS) as well as EDR files collected during in-house crash investigations. Photographic documentation of the post-crash seatbelt position was compared to EDR reported seatbelt use to determine if post-crash seatbelt position is reliable in determining seatbelt usage at the time of impact. Additionally, EDR seatbelt usage was compared to police reported seatbelt usage.
The analysis of the data in this study found that in a third of the cases where the EDR data indicated the occupant was seatbelted, the seatbelt was found in the stowed or retracted position. Therefore, finding a stowed or retracted seatbelt following a crash is not a reliable means of determining seatbelt use by the occupant at the time of the crash. Additionally, a comparison of EDR data to police reported seatbelt usage revealed that 13 to 25 percent of the occupants reported by the police as seatbelted did not have the seatbelt fastened based on EDR data.
Authors
Citation
Yannaccone, J., "Determination of Seatbelt Use Following a Crash," SAE Technical Paper 2020-01-0643, 2020, https://doi.org/10.4271/2020-01-0643.Data Sets - Support Documents
Title | Description | Download |
---|---|---|
Unnamed Dataset 1 | ||
Unnamed Dataset 2 | ||
Unnamed Dataset 3 | ||
Unnamed Dataset 4 | ||
Unnamed Dataset 5 | ||
Unnamed Dataset 6 | ||
Unnamed Dataset 7 | ||
Unnamed Dataset 8 | ||
Unnamed Dataset 9 | ||
Unnamed Dataset 10 |
Also In
References
- Viano , D.C. and Parenteau , C.S. Belt Use: Comparison of NASS-CDS and Police Crash Reports Traffic Injury Prevention 10 5 427 435 2009
- Kahane , C.J. A Preliminary Comparison of Seat Belt Use Coded in Crash Databases and Reported by Event Data Recorders No. DOT HS 812 529 2018
- Parada , M.A. , Cohn , L.D. , Gonzalez , E. , Byrd , T. , and Cortes , M. The Validity of Self-Reported Seatbelt Use: Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Drivers in El Paso Accident Analysis & Prevention 33 1 139 143 2001
- Streff , F.M. and Wagenaar , A.C. Are there Really Shortcuts? Estimating Seat Belt Use with Self-Report Measures Accident Analysis & Prevention 21 6 509 516 1989
- Burnett , R. , Ballard , W. , Marth , D. , and Arsdell , W.V. Frontal Impact Rear Seatbelt Load Marks: An In-Depth Analysis SAE Technical Paper 2009-01-1249 2009 https://doi.org/10.4271/2009-01-1249
- Jakstis , M. , Clyde , H. , Hare , B. , Landis , R. , and Lewis , L. Marks on Seat Belt Systems with Pretensioners and Force Limiters in Airbag Deployment Crashes SAE Technical Paper 2009-01-1252 2009 https://doi.org/10.4271/2009-01-1252
- Tanner , C.B. , Durisek , N.J. , Hoover , T.D. , and Guenther , D.A. Automotive Restraint Loading Evidence for Moderate Speed Impacts and a Variety of Restraint Conditions SAE Technical Paper 2006-01-0900 2006 https://doi.org/10.4271/2006-01-0900
- Bready , J.E. , Nordhagen , R.P. , Kent , R.W. , and Jakstis , M.W. Characteristics of Seat Belt Restraint System Markings SAE Technical Paper 2000-01-1317 2000 https://doi.org/10.4271/2000-01-1317
- Bready , J.E. , Nordhagen , R.P. , and Kent , R.W. Seat Belt Survey: Identification and Assessment of Noncollision Markings SAE Transactions 737 749 1999
- Moffatt , C.A. , Moffatt , E.A. , and Weiman , T.R. Diagnosis of Seat Belt Usage in Accidents SAE Technical Paper 840396 1984 https://doi.org/10.4271/840396