Analysis of Interrelation of Vehicle to Seat Belt as a Function of Rigidity of the Vehicle

Experimental crash data are examined to determine how vehicle rigidity influences seat belt operation. Total occupant braking distance is maximized when a vehicle has high frontal deformation, as belt loading occurs at impact. However, for any given vehicle optimum conditions occur when:

1. 1.
   Dead time between impact and belt loading is minimized.
2. 2.
   Seat belt webbing characteristics are matched to vehicle structure to use maximum available braking distance.