Restraint Load Marks in Sled Testing Conducted With the Hybrid III 3-Year-Old and 6-Year-Old Anthropomorphic Test Devices

摘要

Properly restraining a child in an automotive seat may require the use of a weight- and size-appropriate Child Restraint System (CRS). Proper installation of the CRS is a critical part of protecting a child during a motor vehicle collision. During a collision, child occupants sometimes exert enough force on the restraint system to generate load marks on the CRS and the vehicle restraint system. These marks are often relied upon by investigators to determine if the child occupant was properly restrained at the time of the collision. This paper is an observational study of the load marks generated from sled testing that was conducted using Hybrid III 3-year-old and 6-year-old Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATDs). Tests were conducted with various child restraint systems that were installed in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations as well as installed improperly. Additional tests were conducted with the ATDs without the use of a CRS. Load mark comparisons were made with respect to test severity.