Evaluating the Effects of Improper Positioning and Unbuckling of a Restraint System on a 10-year-old Child ATD in a Far Side Side-Impact Environment

Five sled tests were performed with a Hybrid III 10-year-old child ATD positioned in the 2nd row left seat of a three row 2006 Sport Utility Vehicle. The sled buck was positioned and accelerated on a Hyge Sled to replicate an intersection side impact collision to the passenger (right) side of the Sport Utility Vehicle. 3 of the 5 tests were performed with a delta-V of 17 mph, with one test performed with a properly restrained ATD and two tests performed with improper restraint positioning. 2 of the 5 tests were performed with a delta-V of 24 mph, and both tests included improper restraint positioning effectively identical to the two 17 mph delta-V tests. The first scenario of improper restraint positioning involved moving the torso belt from the left shoulder, over the head, and onto the right shoulder. The second scenario involved the same belt re-positioning as the first scenario, but additionally disengaged the latch plate from the buckle, essentially creating a condition of seat belt entanglement. New, service replacement seat belt assemblies were used for each test. All tests were dynamically documented with 4 high speed video cameras. Occupant kinematics and seat belt physical evidence was analyzed and compared across the test series. The results demonstrated the uniqueness of physical evidence left behind on components of the seat belt system, both in terms of locations of the evidence as well as the extent and geometric orientation of the evidence, across the three demonstrated scenarios (proper, improper, and improper and unbuckled).