Real World Frontal Impacts Involving Pediatric Rear Occupants
Author(s): Schroeder, McClafferty, Schroeder, Fraser, Comeau
Slidedeck Presentation:
Abstract:
The Western Motor Vehicle Safety (MOVES) Research Team is part of a national network of teams that conducts investigations of motor vehicle collisions for Transport Canada's Motor Vehicle Safety Directorate. Western MOVES with Transport Canada and the London Health Sciences Centre is conducting a study of collisions involving pediatric vehicle occupants. Real world collision data are needed to evaluate the performance of safety features and develop countermeasures that improve vehicle safety. The purpose of this study is to determine how rear seat passengers under 17 years of age are injured in serious frontal impacts. Daily Level I Pediatric Trauma Centre (PTC) emergency and admission reports were reviewed to identify pediatric patients treated following a motor vehicle collision. In-depth crash investigations were conducted on pediatric fatalities and all children admitted to the PTC as well as a sample of children that were not admitted. Field investigations were conducted on 53 collisions (20 fatal / 33 non-fatal injury). The delta-V ranged from 17 to 130 km/h (average = 53 km/h). Offset left frontal impacts (N = 23) and full-frontal impacts (N = 21) were the most common. The 53 collisions involved 86 pediatric rear occupants (12 fatal / 36 major injuries). There were 9 children (2 fatal / 1 major) under 1 year of age restrained in rearward -facing infant carriers (average delta-V = 48 km/h).
There were 26 children (4 fatal / 7 major) aged 1 to 6 years (average = 3.0 years) restrained in forward-facing child restraints (average delta-V = 53 km/h).
There were 17 children (2 fatal / 4 major) aged 3 to 8 years (average = 5.6 years) restrained in booster seats by the seatbelt (average delta-V = 57 km/h). There were 27 children (3 fatal / 20 major injuries) aged 4 to 17 years (average = 11.1 years) restrained by seatbelts only (average delta-V = 52 km/h). All of the belted pediatric passengers had lap and torso belts available. Only 7 of the children (1 fatal / 4 major) were unrestrained (average delta-V = 54 km/h). Frontal collisions resulting in severe or fatal pediatric injury were usually very severe impacts (average delta-V =60 km/h). Severe injuries were typically the result of restraint loading. Secondary factors included restraint misuse and interior contacts including unrestrained occupants or cargo.
Twenty-three of the 45 children (51%) sustaining severe injuries were restrained by a seatbelt only. They comprised 31% of the children (27/86) studied. Seatbelt misuse such as torso belt not used, lap belt on abdomen and seatbelt slack was identified in multiple cases. Properly used rearward-facing infant carriers, forward-facing child restraints and booster seats provided excellent protection in most collisions. Risk of serious injury increased when children were restrained by the lap and torso belt only.