everal studies have examined the electromyography (EMG) responses of the neck muscles during frontal, rear and side impacts in the adult population (Kumar et al, 2002;​ Kumar et al., 2004;​ Kumar et al., 2006;​ Magnusson et al., 1999, Siegmund et al., 2003). No data exists on the EMG responses in children exposed to dynamic impacts. The objective of the current study was to measure the EMG responses of the neck, torso and lower extremity muscles in children and adults during a low speed frontal impact. Low speed volunteer testing of pediatric (n=4, ages 8-12 years) and adult (n=3, ages 18-24 years) male subjects were performed using a pneumatically actuated – hydraulically controlled sled. Safe limits were established from measurement of bumper car accelerations at an amusement park ride (4.9 g, 55.7 msec rise time, 110 msec duration), a sub-injurious activity to the adult and child amusement park population. We recreated the bumper car environment in the laboratory, by developing a low-speed hydro-pneumatic sled. As an added measure of safety, our average maximum cart acceleration was 3.7 g for children and 3.5 g for adults, thus producing occupant loads that are approximately 25% less than the bumper car amusement park ride. Surface EMG electrodes were placed bilaterally on the neck (sternocleidomastoid, cervical paraspinous, trapezius), lower torso (erector spinae) and lower extremity (rectus femoris) muscles. Maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) measurements were made while the subjects exerted their maximum isometric effort in attempted neck flexion, neck extension, torso extension and leg extension. Mean MVIC for each muscle was computed by averaging with a 25 ms moving window over the middle 6 sec duration of the entire isometric contraction trial. The EMG responses were normalized against the subjects’ mean MVIC values. The mean MVIC, and the timing and magnitude of the normalized EMG responses during frontal impacts, were compared between the pediatric and adult groups. These data could be used to model active musculature in computational models used in impact biomechanics studies.