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Airbag induced injuries to front seated infants and children have resulted in US government recommendations that suggest, among other things, the placement of children into the rear seat area of motor vehicles. During a rear impact, however, most conventional automotive front seats occupied by adults will collapse into the rear seat area. This exposes the rear-seated children to other risks of injuries. Rearward load strength tests run on a wide variety of commercially available automotive front seat systems, such as the single or dual sided recliner types and the stronger belt integrated types, demonstrate a wide range of occupant load resistance. Digital human simulation offers a cost effective, efficient, and accurate means for predicting occupant response and interactions influenced by various types of non-linear deforming seat systems, as well as various types of restraints, and vehicle interior structures.

Automotive collision data from the National Accident Sampling System database (compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) was analyzed in regard to occupants who sustained major pelvic injuries during 1980-1992. These injuries included pelvic fracture, pelvic dislocation, pelvic separation, pelvic crush, and pelvic fracture/dislocation. All collisions analyzed were required to have a computed change in velocity during the collision, as well as data concerning injuries sustained by the occupants. The purpose of this research was to retrospectively analyze motor vehicle crash data to establish incidence of major pelvic injuries within automotive collisions. From the study, 1.8% of all collisions evaluated resulted in major pelvic injuries. Twenty-two percent of all crashes were side impact collisions and 8% of these side impact collisions resulted in occupants sustaining major pelvic injuries.

This study measures the head and neck responses of a 50th percentile Hybrid III dummy subject to the deployment of a dual-stage driver airbag using the first stage only. Since the airbag is deployed using the first-stage only, the tests are representative of low-severity collisions where airbag deployment is warranted. This would correspond to a rigid barrier test for a belted driver at a speed greater than 14 mph and less than 30 mph. The responses are compared with equivalent deployments of single-stage ‘depowered’ driver airbags. The airbag modules used in this study were taken from two similar sized production vehicles of the same model year that were produced by the same manufacturer. The occupant was placed in a position with the head 9 - 9.5 cm from the steering wheel. The objective was to investigate how a dual-stage production airbag reduced neck loading on an occupant who was in close proximity to a deploying airbag. Six tests were performed; three for each airbag type.

Static and dynamic studies were conducted with conventional and belt integrated vehicular seats. Most conventional seat backs failed with a static FMVSS 207 rearward torque of approximately 700 to 800 Newton meters (Nm) while integrated seats sustain a comparably measured torque of up to approximately 3,500 to 4,000 Nm. Correspondingly greater rearward changes in speed can be sustained by integrated seats with less likelihood of injury to front and rear seated occupants. The dynamic tests demonstrate the importance of testing within the full vehicle interior structure to insure that floor strength is compatible with seat strength to attain optimum occupant protection in stronger seat designs and to assess injury risk to occupants in collapsing seat designs.