Transport Canada (TC) began in-vehicle crash testing of rear facing infant seats in 2007, as part of a large ongoing comprehensive research program aimed at evaluating crashworthiness protection for child occupants of motor vehicles.

A recent study sponsored by the National Center for Statistics and Analysis and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the United States (May 2010) found that, among children involved in motor vehicle crashes, infants had a greater frequency of head injuries than older children up to seven years of age.

The sample included 131 child restraints evaluated in 85 motor vehicle crash tests. Of the 131 crash tests, 126 were rigid barrier tests of which:​ 108 were conducted at 48km/h;​ 11 were conducted at 56 km/h;​ and seven were conducted at 40 km/h. Five offset deformable barrier tests, conducted at 40 km/h, were included in the sample. The majority or 117 tests involved rear facing infant seats;​ the remaining 14 tests were carried out with convertible seats installed facing the rear.

Elevated head accelerations above 80g were observed in 18% tests with a significant number occurring in the rear center seating position. Elevated head accelerations were found to result from four principal categories of impacts:​ direct head contact with the seat back in front of the dummy;​ contact between the child restraint and the forward seat back;​ dummy head contact with the child seat carry handle;​ and child seat with the center console located between the front seats.

The seat and dummy kinematics and the head accelerations are described for each impact type. Implications for future child restraint regulations are discussed.