RESUMO
The prevention of interactions of children or child restraints with other vehicle structures is critical to child passenger safety. Fifteen current vehicles and seven rear and forward facing child restraint systems were measured in an attempt to quantify the available distance between child restraints and these vehicle structures. Rear facing child restraints exhibited such small amounts of clearance that contact would be expected in the majority of frontal crashes. Upper tethers are critical in the prevention of head contact, while head contact is likely when the upper tether is not used.
Assuntos
Automóveis , Desenho de Equipamento , Equipamentos para Lactente/normas , Equipamentos de Proteção , Acidentes de Trânsito , Pré-Escolar , Humanos , Ferimentos e Lesões/prevenção & controleRESUMO
The performance of rear facing child restraints in frontal crashes can be determined by controlling a) the child's kinematics and b) interactions with vehicle structures. Twelve sled tests were performed to analyze the effect of the location and structural properties of vehicle interior components. The role of restraint kinematics was studied by developing computational models which underwent idealized motions. Stiff structures originally offset from the restraint, but which contact the restraint late in the test, cause increased injury values. Attachment methods which reduce child restraint rotation and more rigidly couple the restraint to the vehicle result in the best safety performance.
Assuntos
Automóveis , Desenho de Equipamento , Equipamentos para Lactente , Acidentes de Trânsito , Fenômenos Biomecânicos , Pré-Escolar , Humanos , Estados Unidos , Ferimentos e Lesões/prevenção & controleRESUMO
Current forward facing (FF) child restraint designs use LATCH and ISOFIX systems to couple the restraint to the vehicle. Rear facing (RF) child restraints, however, have multiple coupling methods that vary by manufacturer and country of origin. Sled tests were performed with the CRABI 12 month dummy in six different RF attachment conditions. The performance of the rear facing child restraints (restraint kinematics, head accelerations, and neck loads) was highly dependent on the coupling method used. The results were also compared to a FF LATCH restraint.
