Identifying Priorities for Improving Rear Seat Occupant Protection.

摘要

This project helped to identify priorities for improving the safety of rear seat occupants through a literature review and NASS-CDS injury analysis. The literature review covers injury patterns of rear seat occupants, new safety technologies intended for the rear seat, studies of rear seat belt and seat geometry, and methods for assessing belt fit; key points follow. Most rear-seat cushion lengths exceed the recommended length of 440 mm intended for accommodating adults. Since children make up 70% of rear seat occupants, built-in booster seats with shorter cushion lengths designed to accommodate children aged 5-8 would be beneficial. Front seats tend to have steeper outboard lap-belt angles, more forward shoulder belt anchors, and narrower spacing between lap belt anchorages than in the rear seat; target lap belt angles in the rear seat should range from 45 to 70 degrees. Booster seats are potentially more effective at mitigating poor lap belt geometry than poor shoulder belt geometry, so improving shoulder belt geometry in the rear seat should have higher priority. Load limiters, seatbelt pretensioners, and inflatable belt systems are potential countermeasures for reducing thoracic injury for rear seat occupants. If load limiters are installed in rear seats, the amount of available space for occupant displacement would be more important to consider in the rear seat than in the front seat.