Prediction of cervical spine injury risk for the 6-year-old child in frontal crashes

Sherwood, C. P.; Shaw, C. G.; van Rooij, L.; Kent, R. W.; Gupta, P. K.; Crandall, J. R.; Orzechowski, K. M.; Eichelberger, M. R.; Kallieris, D.

Affiliations

¹Automobile Safety Laboratory, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

²Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, D. C.

³University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

Abstract

This paper presents a series of 49 km/h sled tests using the Hybrid III 6-year-old dummy in a high-back booster, a low-back booster, and a three-point belt. Although it is shown that non-contact cervical spine injuries are rare in correctly restrained children in this age group, neck loads exceeded published injury thresholds in all tests. The dummy kinematics were compared to the kinematics of a 12-year-old cadaver tested in a similar impact environment. This comparison was expanded using MADYMO simulations. It is concluded that the stiff thoracic spine of the dummy results in high neck forces and moments that are not representative of the true injury potential.

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