Child restraint performance in side impacts with and without top tethers and with and without rigid attachment (CANFIX)

Kelly, Paul; Brown, Julie; Griffiths, Michael

The need for improved side impact protection for child motor vehicle occupants is recognised internationally. This paper describes three separate test programs assessing the performance of Australian child restraint systems in side impact in terms of the head protection provided by the restraints.

his work shows that:

there is scope for the improved performance of the combination of top tether and adult seat belt in reducing the level of sideways movement in child restraints in side impact.
the combination of top tether and adult seat belt can reduce forward movement in child restraints in oblique angle side impact.
top tethers do not play a significant role in ensuring head retention within the child restraint in side impact.
rigid attachment (CANFIX) significantly improves the performance of child restraints in side impact.
six real world cases are also reviewed to illustrate deficiencies in existing child restraints in providing protection in side impact.

Year

Entry

1994

Bell R, Burleigh D, Czernakowski W. ISOFIX: the potential of a universal vehicle/child restraint interface for misuse reduction and performance enhancement. In: Proceedings of the 38th Stapp Car Crash Conference. October 31–November 2, 1994; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:225-234. SAE 942220.

1995

Brown J, Kelly P, Griffiths M, Tong S, Pak R, Gibson T. The performance of tethered and untethered forward facing child restraints. In: Proceedings of the 1995 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 13-15, 1995; Brunnen, Switzerland.61-74.

1994

Pedder J, Legault F, Salcudean G, Hillebrandt D, Gardner W, Labrecque M. Development of the CANFIX infant and child restraint/vehicle interface system. In: Proceedings of the 38th Stapp Car Crash Conference. October 31–November 2, 1994; Fort Lauderdale, FL. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:235-244. SAE 942221.

1994

Henderson M, Brown J, Paine M. Injuries to restrained children. In: 38th Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). September 21-23, 1994; Lyon, France.75-87.

1994

Griffiths M, Brown J, Kelly P. Child restraint system development in Australia. In: Proceedings of the 14th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 23-26, 1994; Munich, Germany.1655-1667.