Safety Comparison of Laminated Glass and Acrylic Glazing in Front Camper Windows

Children riding on the bed over the cab in campers can be injured in forward force collisions from striking the glazing material and/or being ejected through the opening. The two types of glazing commonly used are acrylic and laminated. A comparison of the performance of the two types of glazing in simulated forward force collisions at velocities up to 30 mph showed the acrylic material to pose threats of neck and back injury and the laminated material to result in lacerations.

Ejections occurred with the acrylic that were not present with the laminated windshields when correct glazing techniques were used. With poor installation procedures, ejections occurred in both types of glazing materials.

It is concluded that the best way to avoid injury is to prevent the child from riding in the over-the-cab bunk. If the child does ride there, his body axis should be positioned at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. Also, the front interior of the camper should be padded to minimize injury. Among the five injury criteria considered, laminated glass was substantially better in two of the criteria (neck extension and ejection), slightly better in two of the criteria (lumbar extension and concussion potential) and the acrylic was superior in terms of facial laceration potential.