Browse Topic: Child injuries

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Quantifying and Comparing the Intersegmental Kinematics of the Pediatric Whole Cervical Spine to Individual Motion Segment Kinematics in a Six-Year-Old Postmortem Human Surrogate09-12-02-001011/12/2024
Mitigating both neck and head injuries in the pediatric population relies heavily on improving our understanding of the underlying biomechanics of the pediatric cervical spine. The tensile response for individual motion segments and the whole cervical spine (WCS) has been reported, but there is no data characterizing the intersegmental kinematics of pediatric WCS under axial loading conditions. The structural response of motion segments and WCS provide valuable data for the design and validation of biofidelic physical and computational models for the pediatric population. However, the use of motion segment data to construct WCS response or the use of WCS axial response to accurately characterize intersegmental response may present limitations to accurately modeling the pediatric cervical spine response. In this secondary analysis of the work of Luck et al. (2008, 2013), the fixed-fixed, low load, quasi-static tensile response of the WCS and individual motion segments (O-C2, C4-C5, and C6-C7) of a six-year-old postmortem human surrogate (PMHS) was investigated to quantify and compare the intersegmental kinematics under both conditions. In the whole spine, O-C2, C3-C4, C6-C7, and C7-T1 exhibited a tensile response, C2-C3 and C5-C6 exhibited a compressive response, and C4-C5 did not exhibit an appreciable response in the axial loading direction. Furthermore, when compared to the tensile behavior of the individual motion segment load-controlled tests, C6-C7 exhibited reduced axial displacement and an increased stiffness at higher loads (≥13.5 N), suggesting the recruitment of more superficial ligamentous layers that span multiple vertebrae in the whole spine. Regarding vertical displacement and rotation, O-C2 exhibited the largest amount of rotation of 5.57 degrees in flexion and all segments exhibited some amount of anterior–posterior (AP) displacement. The intersegmental kinematics provide biomechanical response data that may support both physical and computational surrogate design and validation as well as data for comparison to isolated FSU testing conditions.
Liu, Miranda, Luck, Jason F.
Child Injury Pattern and Mechanism Differences Based on the Front Seat Occupancy Status in Rear Impacts with Severe Structural Intrusions from the Rear2024-26-00051/16/2024
Child crash injury protection in severe rear impact chiefly depends on how well the rear survival space bounded by the vehicle structure is maintained. Previous research and studies have shown the ill effects of front seatback collapse intruding into the rear child survival space from front with minor or no intrusions from the rear. This paper shows the child injury pattern and fatal injury mechanism for a rear impact crash with a severe compartment intrusion from the rear without any front seat occupant. Furthermore, it compares the injury outcome with a similar crash and severe intrusion in the presence of the front occupant employing a full-scale vehicle-to-vehicle crash test. A detailed real-world crash investigation is conducted to identify the injury mechanism and is compared with the outcome of similar severity rear impact vehicle-to-vehicle crash tests producing different injury patterns. The comparison and the analysis show that the survival space intrusion due to safety cage collapse from the rear is the most significant factor in the presence or absence of the front seat occupant. The injury pattern changes with the same overall critical outcome. If the safety cage collapse intrusion and front seat occupancy are considered as two factors modulating the response of the injury pattern, then there is a significant interaction of these factors modulating the response.
Thorbole, Chandrashekhar
Analysis of Kinetic Metrics in Submarining vs Non-Submarining Conditions for a 6YO Pediatric Human Body Model in Frontal Impacts09-11-02-00209/20/2023
Field data has shown that belt-positioning boosters help reduce the risk of injury to children in a crash. This study builds on prior submarining work (Slusher et al. 2022) and aims to analyze kinetic metrics (which can be easily recorded from anthropomorphic test devices in crash tests) in submarining and non-submarining conditions for a 6-year-old pediatric human occupant in frontal crashes.
Williams, Bethany, Maheshwari, Jalaj
Stapp Car Crash Journal Vol. 65, 2021B-STAPP20216/2/2022
This title includes the technical papers developed for the 2021 Stapp Car Crash Conference, the premier forum for the presentation of research in impact biomechanics, human injury tolerance, and related fields, advancing the knowledge of land-vehicle crash injury protection. The conference provides an opportunity to participate in open discussion about the causes and mechanisms of injury, experimental methods and tools for use in impact biomechanics research, and the development of new concepts for reducing injuries and fatalities in automobile crashes. The topics covered this year include: Machine Learning Based Model for Predicting Head Injury Criterion (HIC) Investigating Combined Thoracic Loading Using the Elderly Female Dummy (EFD) Passenger Injury Analysis Considering Vehicle Crash after AEB Activation Factors Affecting Child Injury Risk in Motor-Vehicle Crashes A Sensor Suite for Toeboard Three-Dimensional Deformation Measurement During Crash Brain Strain from Motion of Sparse Markers Short Communications
Innovative Method of Child Injury Performance Optimization using Sled Tests2021-26-00089/22/2021
Child injury performance evaluation is becoming critical part of almost all legal and consumer ratings-based vehicle safety evaluation protocols. Most of New CAR Assessment Programs (NCAP) now have separate ratings exclusively to evaluate child restraint system effectiveness and child dummy performance under various crash testing modes. OEM’s have need and challenge to maximize injury performance. Sled tests are conventionally used for tuning restraints like seat belts and airbags for driver and co-driver under various frontal type test conditions. However, second row seats are used for CRS/ Child injury performance evaluations. In the present study an attempt is made to simulate child injury performance of P3 dummy positioned on second row seat on defined child seat for 64 kmph frontal Offset deformable barrier type test conforming to Global NCAP. Sled pulses are carefully tuned to capture key injury patterns. Thence restraint parameters are tuned to improve child dummy injuries
Shanbhag, Ganesh
Stapp Car Crash Journal Vol. 63, 2019B-STAPP20196/1/2020
This title includes the technical papers developed for the 2019 Stapp Car Crash Conference, the premier forum for the presentation of research in impact biomechanics, human injury tolerance, and related fields, advancing the knowledge of land-vehicle crash injury protection. The conference provides an opportunity to participate in open discussion about the causes and mechanisms of injury, experimental methods and tools for use in impact biomechanics research, and the development of new concepts for reducing injuries and fatalities in automobile crashes. The topics covered this year include: Machine Learning Based Model for Predicting Head Injury Criterion (HIC) Investigating Combined Thoracic Loading Using the Elderly Female Dummy (EFD) Passenger Injury Analysis Considering Vehicle Crash after AEB Activation Factors Affecting Child Injury Risk in Motor-Vehicle Crashes A Sensor Suite for Toeboard Three-Dimensional Deformation Measurement During Crash Brain Strain from Motion of Sparse Markers Short Communications
The Roles of Vehicle Seat Cushion Stiffness and Length in Child Restraint System (CRS) Performance2020-01-09774/14/2020
The objective is to determine whether responses and injury risks for pediatric occupants in child restraint systems (CRS) are affected by vehicle seat cushion stiffness and fore/aft cushion length. Eighteen sled tests were conducted using the Federal Motor Vehicles Safety Standard (FMVSS) 213 frontal pulse (48 km/h). Seats from a recent model year vehicle were customized by the manufacturer with three different levels of cushion stiffness: compliant, mid-range, and stiff. Each stiffness level was quantified using ASTM D 3574-08 and all were within the realistic range of modern production seats. The usable length of each seat cushion was manipulated using foam spacers provided by the manufacturer. Two different seat lengths were examined: short (34.0 cm) and long (43.5 cm). Three different types of CRS were tested with size-appropriate anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs): rear-facing (RF) CRS with 12-month-old CRABI, forward-facing (FF) CRS with Hybrid III 3-year-old, and high-back booster with Hybrid III 6-year-old. Each CRS, vehicle seat (including cushion and frame), seat belt webbing and buckle were replaced after every test. ATD kinematic and kinetic data were compared across seat cushion lengths and cushion stiffness levels to determine which seat configurations were the most beneficial for each type of CRS. For RF CRS, short vehicle seats allowed more y-axis rotation (SAE J211) but reduced several injury metrics including HIC36. For FF CRS, long and short seats resulted in similar injury metrics across matched conditions. For boosters, short seats increased chest resultant acceleration but did not have a noticeable effect on other injury metrics. The range of cushion stiffness examined in this study did not have a consistent or relevant effect on any of the CRS or occupant responses.
Mansfield, Julie, Kwon, HyunJung, Kang, Yun-Seok
Factors Affecting Child Injury Risk in Motor-Vehicle Crashes2019-22-00083/31/2020
Current recommendations for restraining child occupants are based on biomechanical testing and data from national and international field studies primarily conducted prior to 2011. We hypothesized that analysis to identify factors associated with pediatric injury in motor-vehicle crashes using a national database of more recent police-reported crashes in the United States involving children under age 13 where type of child restraint system (CRS) is recorded would support previous recommendations. Weighted data were extracted from the National Automotive Sampling System General Estimates System (NASS-GES) for crash years 2010 to 2015. Injury outcomes were grouped as CO (possible and no injury) or KAB (killed, incapacitating injury, non-incapacitating injury). Restraint was characterized as optimal, suboptimal, or unrestrained based on current best practice recommendations. Analysis used survey methods to identify factors associated with injury. Factors with significant effect on pediatric injury risk include restraint type, child age, driver injury, driver alcohol use, seating position, and crash direction. Compared to children using optimal restraint, unrestrained children have 4.9 (13-year-old) to 5.6 (< 1-year-old) times higher odds of injury, while suboptimally restrained children have 1.1 (13-year-old) to 1.9 (< 1-year-old) times higher odds of injury. As indicated by the differences in odds ratios, effects of restraint type attenuate with age. Results support current best practice recommendations to use each stage of child restraint (rear-facing CRS, forward-facing harnessed CRS, belt-positioning booster seat, lap and shoulder belt) as long as possible before switching to the next step.
Benedetti, Marco, Klinich, Kathleen D., Manary, Miriam A., Flannagan, Carol A. C.
Comparative protocol study between R44 and I-Size regulations for child restraint systems2018-36-01249/3/2018
Children tend to be victims of road accidents more often than is the case for adults. Children made up 2,5% of the total number of road fatalities in the EU countries in 2015 and about 15% of the world? population. They are at about a sixth regarding the risk of dying in a road accident of the average member of the population across the EU as a whole.[1] The European Union uses the R44.04 [2] homologation standard to assess child restraint systems (CRS), but in 2013 a new regulation was implemented called Enhanced Child Restraint Systems (ECRS) or UNECE R-129[3] The first step of this regulation, called Phase 1 or I-Size, adds new performance criterion and improved the requirements for the CRS related to safety by introducing side-impact protection, classification based on stature not mass, use of Isofix and mandatory rearward facing until 15 months. Both regulations have been used simultaneously since 2013. In this paper a comparison study was carried out to analyse the differences between both protocols and regulation requirements in order to assess the benefits and impacts of this new standard.
Domenech, David, Parera, Nuria, Maturana, Gustavo
Occupant Responses in Child Restraint Systems Subjected to Full-Car Side Impact Tests2010-01-10434/12/2010
Accident data show that the injury risks to children seated in child restraint systems (CRSs) are higher in side collisions than any other type of collision. To investigate child injury in the CRS in a side impact, it is necessary to understand the occupant responses in car-to-car crash tests. In this research, a series of full car side impact tests based on the ECE R95 test procedure was conducted. In the vehicle's struck-side rear seat location, a Q3s three-year-old child dummy was seated in a forward facing (FF) CRS, and a CRABI six-month-old (6MO) infant dummy was seated in a rear facing (RF) CRS and also was placed in car-bed restraint. In the non-struck side rear seat location, the RF CRSs also were installed. In addition to testing the CRSs installed by a seatbelt, an ISOFIX FF CRS and an ISOFIX RF CRS were tested. For the evaluations, occupant kinematic behavior and injury measures were compared. In all tests, the dummy heads were contained within the CRS shell during the entire impact event. In both the struck side FF CRS and RF CRS; the HICs were small, even though the dummy heads made indirect contact with the door beltline through the CRS side wing in these struck side CRSs. The dummy chest was loaded by an intruding door and the resulting chest deflection of the Q3s child dummy in the FF CRS was comparable with the injury assessment reference value. In the non-struck side, the loading of the CRABI 6MO seated in the CRS was substantially small. In the FF and RF ISOFIX CRS with a top tether, the acceleration of some body regions of the dummy could be high because the ISOFIX CRS moved from the initial phase of the impact and contacted the dummy at a high velocity. However, the CRS and the dummy displacement were small, which is an advantage of the ISOFIX CRS because occupant excursion could be a major source of injuries in the real-world accidents.
Yonezawa, Hideki, Tanaka, Yoshinori, Hosokawa, Naruyuki, Matsui, Yasuhiro, Mizuno, Koji, Yoshida, Ryoichi
Implementation of Child Biomechanical Neck Behaviour into a Child FE Model2009-01-04724/20/2009
This research focuses on the further development of a child finite element model whereby implementation of pediatric cadaver testing observations considering the biomechanical response of the neck of children under tensile and bending loading has occurred. Prior to this investigation, the biomechanical neck response was based upon scaled adult cadaver behaviour. Alterations to the material properties associated with ligaments, intervertebral discs and facet joints of the pediatric cervical spine were considered. No alteration to the geometry of the child neck finite element model was considered. An energy based approach was utilized to provide indication on the appropriate changes to local neck biomechanical characteristics. Prior to this study, the biomechanical response of the neck of the child finite element model deviated significantly from the tensile and bending cadaver tests completed by Ouyang et al. After alteration of the neck biomechanical behaviour was completed the neck tensile force was observed to be within the range of the cadaver tests and the rotation-moment response was in good agreement to the corridor of the pediatric cadaver tests. Utilizing the improved neck model into the child finite element model simulating a FMVSS 213 test resulted in an increase in tensile deformation of on the order of three times and rotational deformation of approximately 37%. Head and chest accelerations from both the child models before and after the neck alterations however remained similar. An important qualitative finding from this investigation indicated that the improved child model appeared to predict an atlanto-occipital dislocation which was observed to occur (in a similar crash condition) to a 23 month-old child. This research was completed in an effort to improve the biofidelity of the child model and the accuracy of child injury prediction in forward facing child restraint seats during numerical simulation of frontal crashes.
Zhang, Wencheng, Kapoor, Tanya, Altenhof, William, Howard, Andrew, Mizuno, Koji
Guidelines for Evaluating Out-of-Position Vehicle Occupant Interactions with Deploying Frontal AirbagsJ1980_200806 (Historical)6/17/2008
An airbag generates a considerable amount of kinetic energy during its inflation process. As a result substantial forces can be developed between the deploying airbag and the out-of-position occupant. Accident data and laboratory test results have indicated a potential for head, neck, chest, abdominal, and leg injuries from these forces. This suggests that mitigating such forces should be considered in the design of airbag restraint systems. This document outlines a comprehensive set of test guidelines that can be used for investigating the interactions that occur between the deploying airbag and the occupant who is near the module at the time of deployment. Static and dynamic tests to investigate driver and passenger systems are given. Static tests may be used to sort designs on a comparative basis. Designs that make it through the static sorting procedure may be subjected to the appropriate dynamic tests. On a specific vehicle model, engineering judgment based upon prior experience in airbag testing may make it unnecessary to conduct the tests identified by the document or may indicate that different tests should be conducted. Mild severity and moderate severity crash pulses are described in Section 5. These pulses are not vehicle-specific, but represent a general acceleration-time history that approximates what occurs with a large variety of vehicles. The mild severity crash pulse is near the threshold of many airbag deployments and represents a high-frequency accident event. Since small children are more likely than adults to be out of position due to preimpact braking, this pulse can be used for the child tests. Since preimpact braking has much less of an effect on adults, the moderate severity crash pulse can be used for adult testing. The described pulses or other vehicle specific pulses may be used. No performance limits are specified in this document. References 2.1.4 2 and 16 gives interpretations of dummy responses relative to human injury potential.
Human Biomechanics and Simulations Standards Committee
Guidelines for Evaluating Out-of-Position Vehicle Occupant Interactions with Deploying Frontal AirbagsJ1980_200112 (Historical)12/27/2001
An airbag generates a considerable amount of kinetic energy during its inflation process. As a result substantial forces can be developed between the deploying airbag and the out-of-position occupant. Accident data and laboratory test results have indicated a potential for head, neck, chest, abdominal, and leg injuries from these forces. This suggests that mitigating such forces should be considered in the design of airbag restraint systems. This document outlines a comprehensive set of test guidelines that can be used for investigating the interactions that occur between the deploying airbag and the occupant who is near the module at the time of deployment. Static and dynamic tests to investigate driver and passenger systems are given. Static tests may be used to sort designs on a comparative basis. Designs that make it through the static sorting procedure may be subjected to the appropriate dynamic tests. On a specific vehicle model, engineering judgment based upon prior experience in airbag testing may make it unnecessary to conduct the tests identified by the document or may indicate that different tests should be conducted. Mild severity and moderate severity crash pulses are described in Section 5. These pulses are not vehicle-specific, but represent a general acceleration-time history that approximates what occurs with a large variety of vehicles. The mild severity crash pulse is near the threshold of many airbag deployments and represents a high-frequency accident event. Since small children are more likely than adults to be out of position due to preimpact braking, this pulse can be used for the child tests. Since preimpact braking has much less of an effect on adults, the moderate severity crash pulse can be used for adult testing. The described pulses or other vehicle specific pulses may be used. No performance limits are specified in this document. References 2.1.4 2 and 16 gives interpretations of dummy responses relative to human injury potential.
Human Biomechanics and Simulations Standards Committee
CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM FOR CHILDREN IN CARS – CREST RESULTS2001-06-00276/4/2001
Child restraint systems (CRS) for cars are intended to protect children in the case of a car accident. Unfortunately their effectiveness is still too low: in the range 30–50 % when it would be expected to be much higher. The low effectiveness of child restraint systems can partly be explained for the youngest passengers by their greater cervical vulnerability and for the oldest (from 3 to 12 years old) by the morphological immaturity of the pelvis. However, tools available to evaluate the effectiveness of CRS are very poor, as well as knowledge on injury mechanisms and criteria. The CREST project was created to develop the knowledge on child behaviour and tolerances, the final aim being to propose new test procedures for determining the effectiveness of CRS using instrumented child dummies. Eleven partners were involved, namely Fiat Auto-SpA (with Elasis), INRETS, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Renault, TNO Automotive, TUB, RICE, BAST, GDV, MUH, VTI. The method used in this project was to collect data from accident investigations and from reconstruction crash tests in order to determine the physical parameters (forces, accelerations and deformations on the child) which correspond to the various child injury mechanisms. Hence, limits should be prescribed under which injuries could be avoided. This paper presents roughly the methods used for the achievement of this project and the main results. In particular, data from the 56 accident reconstructions are presented and injury criteria are evaluated against reconstruction results.
Trosseille, Xavier, Cassan, Françoise, Schrooten, Mark
CHILD INJURY TOLERANCE THROUGH CASE RECONSTRUCTION2001-06-00266/4/2001
A basis for verification of child dummy injury criteria performance limits, ICPLs, is needed. Presently, the ICPLs used for child dummies are derived from the Hybrid III adult dummies using scale factors for size and strength considerations. This study presents the preliminary results of an ongoing effort to verify the ICPLs through reconstructions of real world incidents which have resulted in child injuries. Incident cases which have the potential for reconstruction were identified utilizing various sources. Tests were then conducted utilizing available case information in order to best approximate the pre-injury positioning of the injured child. A comparison of injury measurements collected from a child crash test dummy could then be made to real-life injuries as a method of ascertaining validity of current child dummy injury criteria. Test results are presented for three case studies. This paper summarizes the results.
Hagedorn, Alena V., Rhule, Daniel A.
Child Injuries & Fatalities - Who is Behind the Wheel?2001-01-13053/5/2001
Recent crash data was used to evaluate the safety performance of drivers who transport children. The age difference between drivers and children was found to be an important predictor of crash-related driving behavior and choices. Also, certain driver behaviors and choices when transporting children were identified as creating elevated risk. This study provides information that parents might use to reduce risk when their children are riding with other drivers. The results may also be of interest to professionals concerned with graduated licensing and the establishment and enforcement of laws relating to child endangerment such as drinking and driving with child passengers.
Edwards, Jack, Compton, Charles P.
The Influence of Occupant and Vehicle Characteristics on Risk of Pediatric Air Bag Injury99SC2710/10/1999
A case-comparison study was conducted of children between one and twelve years of age exposed to passenger air bag (PAB) deployment. Cases were children fatally injured by PAB exposure and were investigated by the Special Crash Investigation Program of NHTSA. For comparison, children exposed to PABs, but suffering minor injury were identified through the Partners for Child Passenger Safety (PCPS) Study, a system utilizing insurance claims data for crashes involving children. The crash severity as measured by Delta V was not significantly different between the two groups. Restraint status in conjunction with pre-impact braking highly influenced injury outcome indicating the importance of pre-crash positioning as a risk factor in child exposure to PAB deployment. Other related variables such as child size and age reinforced the importance of restraint. No vehicle characteristics or interior vehicle space measurements were significantly different between the two groups. Current vehicle designs cannot be differentiated with respect to their potential for producing serious child injuries due to PAB deployment. Researchers must continue to examine the entire spectrum of occupant injury severity in order to fully understand injury risk and ensure that future design of vehicles considers the safety of all occupants, including children.
Arbogast, K. B., Durbin, D. R., Resh, B. F., Winston, F. K.
Injury Assessment Reference Values for the CRABI 6-Month Infant Dummy in a Rear-Facing Infant Restraint with Airbag Deployment9508722/1/1995
The purpose of this paper is to establish injury assessment reference values specific to the CRABI 6-Month infant dummy for use in evaluating the interaction of rear-facing infant restraints with a deploying passenger airbag. The available literature on the biomechanics of child injury and mechanical response and the results of impact tests with various child and infant dummies are reviewed and summarized. Estimations of the injury assessment reference values for use with the CRABI 6-Month dummy are made using scaling techniques based on the principles of dimensional analysis and dummy test data from infant restraint tests under conditions where injuries are not likely to occur. The information developed in this report will allow the assessment of injury potential in tests of the interaction of passenger airbags with rear-facing infant restraints. This issue is of particular importance to vehicles with only front seats, such as pickup trucks and sport vehicles.
Melvin, John W.
Cervical Spine Loads Induced in Restrained Child Dummies II93310211/1/1993
Accident data seem to indicate that small children seated in forward facing restraint systems with a harness belt are at risk from serious neck injuries in moderate frontal impacts. TNO has undertaken a research programme to measure the neck loads induced in TNO-P3/4 child dummies seated in various types of restraint system. The test set-up and results of a series of dynamic sled tests and a series of mathematical simulations have been presented in SAE paper no. 912919. This research programme was continued by conducting a reconstruction of a real accident with severe neck injuries. Sled tests were performed using similar car seats and a similar child restraint system as in the real accident. The dummy was modified to obtain an anthropometry close to that of the child involved in the accident. Several test parameters were varied and their influence on the measured neck loads analysed. In parallel with the experimental work, a series of mathematical simulations were performed, using the MADYMO CVS program. These analyses were aimed at assessing the best case and the worst case parameter combinations in terms of induced neck loads. A review on existing biomechanical data with respect to child injuries and tolerance limits was conducted. This review includes scaling techniques and accident reconstructions. The results of the sled tests and mathematical simulations were summarized and are compared with the real accident. Based on the results of this phase of the research programme, preliminary child neck tolerance limits for shear force, tension force and bending moment are proposed.
Janssen, E. G., Huijskens, C. G., Verschut, R., Twisk, D.
Investigation of Dummy Response and Restraint Configuration Factors Associated with Upper Spinal Cord Injury in a Forward-Facing Child Restraint93310111/1/1993
Dummy response and restraint configuration factors associated with a known child injury environment were investigated using a spinal-cord injury accident case, a full-scale reconstruction, and sled simulations. The work is one of several studies undertaken in association with the International Task Force on Child Restraining Systems to support the development of improved neck injury criteria and restraint systems for young children. A two-vehicle crash involving a restrained child occupant was investigated in detail and reconstructed in full-scale at the Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Test Centre using the CRABI 6-Month dummy. Vehicle damage and crush characteristics closely resembled that of the case vehicles. Dummy instrumentation included head and chest accelerometers and upper and lower neck transducers. The case occupant had been facing forward and had sustained a contusion of the spinal cord at T2 that resulted in paraplegia. The crash environment was then simulated in a more simplified manner on the UMTRI impact sled using the same dummy. Test conditions were adjusted until the dummy responses were similar to those obtained in the original reconstruction. Other parameters having to do with restraint effectiveness, including child restraint back angle, harness tightness, and tether attachment, were then varied, and the dummy response measures were compared. Finally, a series of tests was conducted using a current model child restraint and variations of the same parameters to compare with the earlier tests. Results of these test series indicate that variations in forward-facing child restraint system configurations thought to influence neck loading have a minimal effect for this size dummy. Further investigations with larger child dummies are needed, and the available solution of rear-facing restraints for the smaller children is reinforced.
Weber, Kathleen, Dalmotas, Dainius, Hendrick, Brian
Trauma to Children in Forward-Facing Car Seats93309511/1/1993
One of the leading causes of death and disability among young children is motor vehicle accidents. Although current child restraint systems (car seats) have significantly reduced mortality and morbidity, deaths and injuries still occur. Since it is not possible to correlate human child injury potential with the biomechanical devices used for high level impact testing using experimental methods, the acquisition and analysis of specific child injury data identifiable with real world automobile crashes is critical for input to biomechanical research, anthropometric test device (ATD) development and safety standard revisions. The purpose of this study was to analyze vehicular-related trauma that had occurred to children in known crash environments based on accident configuration and car seat design.
Kelleher-Walsh, Barbara, Walsh, Michael J., States, John D., Duffy, Linda C.
Interpretations of the Impact Responses of a 3-Year-Old Child Dummy Relative to Child Injury Potential8260481/1/1982
An analysis is presented that was used to interpret the significance of response measurements made with a specially instrumented, 3-year-old child dummy that was used to evaluate child injury potential of the second-generation, passenger inflatable restraint system that was being developed by General Motors Corporation. Anesthetized animals and a specially instrumented child dummy, both 3-year-old child surrogates, were exposed to similar inflating-cushion, simulated collision environments. The exposure environments were chosen to produce a wide spectrum of animal injury types and severities, and a corresponding broad range of child dummy responses. For a given exposure environment, the animal injury severity ratings for the head, neck, thorax and abdomen are paired with dummy response values corresponding to these body regions. These data are used to develop relationships that can be used to predict the probability of an animal experiencing significant injuries to these body regions based on the child dummy response measurements. A rationale is developed for interpreting the predicted animal injury severities relative to child injury severities.
Mertz, H. J., Weber, D. A.
Responses of Animals Exposed to Deployment of Various Passenger Inflatable Restraint System Concepts for a Variety of Collision Severities and Animal Positions8260471/1/1982
This paper summarizes the results of tests conducted with anesthetized animals that were exposed to a wide range of passenger inflatable restraint cushion forces for a variety of impact sled - simulated accident conditions. The test configurations and inflatable restraint system concepts were selected to produce a broad spectrum of injury types and severities to the major organs of the head, neck and torso of the animals. These data were needed to interpret the significance of the responses of an instrumented child dummy that was being used to evaluate child injury potential of the passenger inflatable restraint system being developed by General Motors Corporation. Injuries ranging from no injury to fatal were observed for the head, neck and abdomen regions. Thoracic injuries ranged from no injury to critical, survival uncertain. Graphs are presented that show associations between the severity of the animal injuries by body region and selected measured animal responses and restraint system- accident characteristics. Caution must be used in interpreting the significance of these injuries relative to the expected performance of passenger inflatable restraint systems since aggressive restraint system concepts and accident conditions were selected for some tests in order to produce severe injuries.
Mertz, H. J., Driscoll, G. D., Lenox, J. B., Nyquist, G. W., Weber, D. A.
Elements of an Effective Child Restraint System6807762/1/1968
This paper is a discussion of some of the more important considerations and parameters involved in child restraint system design. The success of an effective system for preventing child injury must be measured in terms of child contentment and user convenience as well as impact performance and anatomical considerations. It is the objective of this paper to stimulate the designer of child restraint systems into a realistic reappraisal of the relative importance of the four fundamental ingredients of a successful child restraint system: impact performance, child contentment, convenience, and market appeal.
Rogers, Robert A., Silver, Jeffrey N.
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