NHTSA's rear seat safety research

Prasad, Aloke; Weston, Doug

Affiliations

²Transportation Research Center, Inc., USA

Abstract

NHTSA has collected a series of rear seat occupant data from full-scale frontal vehicle tests. The data set encompasses Research and Development and New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) tests and a variety of dummies, including adults and children in child restraint systems. This paper examines the effect of the cushion characteristics (shape, stiffness, thickness) and crash pulse on a small adult and a child in a forward facing child restraint (CRS) using sled tests. A controlled dynamic test will help us better understand how these factors influence the CRS crash dynamics. The thickness of the cushions had the most effect on dummy injury assessment values (IAV). The crash pulse characterization Vehicle Pulse Index (VPI) was the best predictor for head and chest injuries in such occupants.

Links

URL: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/esv/esv22/22ESV-000348.pdf

Cited Works (1)

Year	Entry
2005	Kuppa S, Saunders J, Fessahaie O. Rear seat occupant protection in frontal crashes. In: Proceedings of the 19th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 6-9, 2005; Washington, DC.

Cited By (3)

Year	Entry
2017	Hu J, Reed MP, Rupp JD, Fischer K, Lange P, Adler A. Optimizing seat belt and airbag designs for rear seat occupant protection in frontal crashes. Stapp Car Crash J. November 2017;61:67-100. SAE 2017-22-0004.
2020	Perez Rapela D. Methodology for the Evaluation of Human Response Variability to Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors Including Uncertainties [PhD thesis]. Charlottesville, VA: University of Virginia; May 2020.
2015	Tsoi AH-d. The Potential of Event Data Recorders to Improve Impact Injury Assessment in Real World Crashes [PhD thesis]. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; May 27, 2015.