Second-Row Children Fatalities in Front and Rear Crashes
2022-01-1036
03/29/2022
- Event
- Content
- Objective: The protection of children in the second row in automotive crashes remains an important area of safety research. Field data is analyzed on second-row children in front and rear crashes to study fatality trends in 1980-2020 model-year vehicles and to investigate the safety improvements with higher head restraints, stronger front seats and increased use of restraint systems. Methods: 1990 to 2019 FARS was queried to assess the number of fatally injured second-row children (0-15 years old). The children included outboard occupants seated behind an occupied front seat and center occupants. The data was analyzed for rear and frontal crashes by calendar and model year. Results: The number of child fatalities decreased by calendar years and model years. There were 2.95-times more fatally injured children in frontal crashes than in the rear crashes. The relative risk decreased with MY (model year) of the vehicle. For example, it was 3.6-times higher in 1990-1999 MY vehicles and 2.3-times in 2010+ MY vehicle. Conclusion: There has been a reduction in the number of child fatalities with modern vehicles. There are a number of factors that may explain the reduction of second-row child fatalities, including increase in restraint use, taller head restraints and stronger front seats typically equipped with dual recliners and a perimeter frame to pocket the front-seat occupant.
- Citation
- Parenteau, C., Viano, D., and Lau, e., "Second-Row Children Fatalities in Front and Rear Crashes," SAE Technical Paper 2022-01-1036, 2022, .