RESUMEN
Previous studies of support legs in rearward-facing infant CRS models have focused on frontal impacts and have found that the presence of a support leg is associated with a reduction in head injury metrics. However, real-world crashes often involve an oblique principal direction of force. The current study used sled tests to evaluate the effectiveness of support legs in rearward-facing infant CRS models for frontal and frontal-oblique impacts with and without a simulated front row seatback. Frontal and frontal-oblique impact sled tests were conducted using the simulated Consumer Reports test method with and without the blocker plate, which was developed to represent a front row seatback. The Q1.5 anthropomorphic test device (ATD) was seated in rearward-facing infant CRS models, which were tested with and without support legs. The presence of a support leg was associated with significant reductions of head injury metrics below injury tolerance limits for all tests, which supports the findings of previous studies. The presence of a support leg was also associated with significant reductions of peak neck tensile force. The presence of the blocker plate resulted in greater head injury metrics compared to tests without the blocker plate, but the result was non-significant. However, the fidelity of the interaction between the CRS and blocker plate as an adequate representation of the interaction that would occur in a real vehicle is not well understood. The findings from the current study continue to support the benefit of support legs in managing the energy of impact for a child in a rearward-facing CRS.
Asunto(s)
Sistemas de Retención Infantil , Pierna , Accidentes de Tránsito , Fenómenos Biomecánicos , Niño , Diseño de Equipo , Humanos , LactanteRESUMEN
A correctly used child restraint system (CRS) is associated with a substantial reduction of injury and mortality risks in motor vehicle crashes and epidemiologic data suggests that toddlers are provided greater protection when restrained in a rearward-facing CRS compared to a forward-facing CRS. Some 'extended-use' European CRS models can accommodate children up to six years rearward-facing and have a support (load) leg and/or a pair of lower (Swedish) tethers to reduce rotation during frontal and rear impacts, respectively. Laboratory studies have found that a support leg reduces head and neck injury metrics of anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) younger than three years in rearward-facing CRS models during frontal impacts. The objectives of the current study were to perform sled tests to: (1) evaluate the effects of using a support leg in rearward-facing infant and extended-use convertible CRS models during frontal impacts, (2) evaluate the effects of using a pair of lower tethers in a rearward-facing extended-use convertible CRS model during rear impacts and (3) compare responses of ATDs in an extendeduse convertible CRS with a support leg and a pair of lower tethers in rearward- and forward-facing configurations during frontal and rear impacts. The presence of a support leg in rearward-facing infant and extended-use convertible CRS models in frontal impacts was associated with reductions in head injury metrics across a range of pediatric ATDs and neck injury metrics were below injury tolerance values. Other strategies in the design of rearward-facing CRS and front row vehicle seatbacks may be available to further reduce head injury metrics. Lower tethers reduced the rearward rotation of an extended-use convertible CRS toward the vehicle seatback in rear impacts and were typically associated with reductions in head and neck injury metrics for the Q6 ATD, but not the Q3 ATD. For frontal impacts, neck injury metrics were typically greater for ATDs in the forward-facing extended-use convertible CRS, whereas head injury metrics were typically greater for the rearward-facing condition (with a support leg and a pair of lower tethers). Interactions of the ATD head and/or the rearward-facing extended-use convertible CRS with the blocker plate in rearward-facing frontal impacts need to be further investigated.
Asunto(s)
Sistemas de Retención Infantil , Traumatismos Craneocerebrales , Accidentes de Tránsito , Fenómenos Biomecánicos , Niño , Traumatismos Craneocerebrales/prevención & control , Diseño de Equipo , Humanos , Lactante , RotaciónRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Rollover crashes account for more than 33% of all motor vehicle-related fatalities and have the highest fatality risk of all crash types, at 1.37% in the United States. There is increased awareness of the high fatality rate associated with this crash type, but there is very limited pediatric-specific data related to rollover crashes in the United States. Recent focus on rollover mitigation has resulted in implementation of countermeasures, making it important to evaluate injury causation for child occupants in rollover crashes with a more current data set. METHODS: We queried the Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) from case years 1998 through 2013. Rollover crashes for passenger vehicles of model year 1998 or newer with at least one restrained occupant (excluding drivers) between 0 and 19 years of age were included. Vehicle-involved physical component and occupant-vehicle contact maps were developed with the CIREN data set. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Of the 20 CIREN cases that met the inclusion criteria, 15 had one or more injuries attributed to contact with some part of the vehicle structure. The CIREN analyses revealed that the head was the most common seriously injured body region, primarily due to contact with the roof side rail and/or vehicle interior. This finding was true for both adolescents and younger pediatric passengers in outboard seating positions. Fifty percent of head injury causation scenarios involving the vehicle interior had component intrusion of 20+ cm at the point of contact. Further exploration of pediatric rollover injury mechanisms using computational modeling and real-world testing is recommended in order to improve upon current mitigation strategies.