Injury Potential with Misused Child Restraining Systems

Although child restraints are an increasingly common fixture in family cars, and even seatbelts are finding their way around children, both types of restraining systems are frequently not being used to their best advantage. Current restraint designs, misused in common ways, were studied using a variety of dummies under FMVSS-213 impact test conditions. Configurations addressed in this series include improperly installed child restraints', misused infant restraints, multiple children in too few belts, and a misused booster. Kinematic data from high-speed films are presented as well as appropriate load and acceleration data. Assessments of injury potential are made based on accepted criteria in combination with extensive laboratory testing and accident investigation experience. Results show that certain misuse configurations can have serious consequences for child occupants, while other variations from commonly accepted restraint practice perform reasonably well.