Human Muscular Restraint During Sled Deceleration <xref rid="FN1" ref-type="fn">*</xref>

The value of the restraint by legs and arms of a human being has been generally disregarded in the development of restraint systems for occupants of an automobile. As part of a series of tests on human beings in automotive restraints conducted for the National Bureau of Standards by the 6571st Aeromedical Research Laboratory, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, measurements were made of the forces exerted on a foot rest during 15 g decelerations. Calculations revealed that for "lap belt only" configuration, 26% of the subject's kinetic energy absorbed was attributed to the seat belt and 55% attributed to the restraint by the legs.