The Role of Three-Point Restraints for Occupants in Moderate and Higher Severity Frontal Impact Collisions
2022-01-1026
03/29/2022
- Event
- Content
- Field accident data and vehicle crash testing have shown that kinematics, occupant loading, , and associated injury risk generally increase with crash severity. Further, these data demonstrate that the use of restraints, such as three-point belts, provides mitigation of kinematics and reduction in loading and injury rates. This study evaluated the role of seat belts in controlling occupant kinematics and reducing occupant loading in moderate and higher severity frontal collisions. Frontal tests with belted and unbelted anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) in the driver and right front passenger seats were performed at delta-Vs of approximately 19 kph and 32 kph with no airbag deployment. At the lower severity, the belted ATDs’ motion was primarily arrested by seat belt engagement, mitigating contact with forward vehicle structures, while the unbelted ATDs’ motion was largely arrested by interaction with forward vehicle structures. Injury metrics were generally lower with belt use than without. At the higher severity, both the belted and unbelted ATDs demonstrated lower extremity engagement with the forward structures, with lower femur compression loads observed for belted ATDs. With belt usage, the pelvis and torso were restrained by the belt, reducing torso excursion, as the neck flexed forward about the torso restraint, resulting in greater lower neck flexion relative to their unbelted counterparts. In the higher severity test, this resulted in the belted driver ATD’s head contacting the steering wheel. Absent belt restraint, the unbelted ATDs moved forward until motion was arrested via contact with forward structures. For higher severity tests, injury metrics were generally lower for belted ATDs, while several injury metrics for unbelted ATDs approached or exceeded IARVs. These findings further support the effectiveness of seat belts in controlling occupant kinematics and reducing injury potential in moderate and higher severity frontal collisions.
- Citation
- Isaacs, J., George, J., Campolettano, E., Cutcliffe, H. et al., "The Role of Three-Point Restraints for Occupants in Moderate and Higher Severity Frontal Impact Collisions," SAE Technical Paper 2022-01-1026, 2022, .