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Problems with the current methods of attaching child restraints to the vehicle structure have led to the development of new attachment systems. These proposals have been coordinated by the International Standards Organisation (ISO) with the intention of generating an international standard system for the attachment of child restraints - ISOFIX. These proposals attempt to balance the requirements for good dynamic performance in impacts with the requirements for ease of use, low misuse and the cost and complexity of the child restraint and of incorporating the system into the vehicle design. This research programme was designed to compare the dynamic performance of a range of systems and how they would be used by parents. Prototype child restraints designed to four different schemes being proposed for ISOFIX were produced based on a single design of child seat shell. These were subject to frontal, side and rear impacts.

To provide effective occupant protection for people who ride in motor vehicles while seated in wheelchairs, products are required that both secure the wheelchair and restrain the occupant. An international effort to develop dynamic test standards for these products has produced a compliance test protocol that includes specification of the sled deceleration-time history, the crash pulse corridor. An interlaboratory study was conducted to determine if the crash pulse corridor was sufficiently defined to produce acceptably low variation in the test results. The study, that involved four labs each replicating the same sled test three times, produced consistent results. The study results suggest that a reasonably precise compliance test protocol can be defined using a crash pulse corridor that is generously drawn to accommodate rather large differences in sled crash pulse shapes.

Most legislation in Europe regarding the carrying of child passengers in cars prohibits them from travelling in the front seats, whether restrained or not. The UK Parliament decided that from 31 January 1983 the compulsory restraint use legislation should permit children in the front seat of cars if restrained. This paper reviews both accident experience from overseas and impact tests with child dummies restrained by adult seat belts and child restraints. Both sets of information provided background to the parliamentary decision. The effect that the legislation has had on restraint usage by children is also described and a comparison is made between interim accident data available since the introduction of the legislation and those from previous years.