A novel method for quanitifying comfort in child passengers demonstrates an association between child restraint comfort and errors in use of booster seats

Fong, Cameron K.; Bilston, Lynne E.; Paul, Gunther; Brown, Julie

doi:10.1080/15389588.2017.1312358

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Furthermore, it suggests that the observed real world benefit may be due to the clips maintaining the harness in a good position on the child's shoulders and/or retaining the child within the harness prior to any crash. It is well established that real world child posture and harness strap positioning frequently vary from the ideal positions simulated in crash tests (Arbogast et al, 2016;Bilston et al, 2007;Bohman et al, 2018;Brown et al, 2010b;Brown et al, 2006;Fong et al, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cross-chest clips in child restraints: A crash testing study

Bilston

Kent

Brown

2019

Traffic Injury Prevention

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Cross chest clips in child restraints: A crash testing studyObjective: Cross chest clips are widely used in North American child restraints, but are less common in other countries, partially due to concerns over anterior neck contacts in frontal crashes. They have recently been reported to be associated with lower odds of injury in real world crashes but there is a paucity of crash test performance information.This study aimed to compare the dynamic performance of a small child occupant in frontal crash tests with and without cross chest clips in place. Methods:Frontal sled tests at 49km/hr were conducted to compare two cross chest clip designs to non-use of a chest clip. Tests using a P3/4 Anthropomorphic Test Device (ATD) to represent the smallest occupant in a forward-facing child restraint were conducted with the chest clips in the recommended position and also in an incorrect lower position, and with and without additional harness slack present.Results: While contacts were observed between the chest clips and the base of the ATD's neck, there was little difference observed in head excursion or ATD sensor loads in the presence of the chest clips. No detectable change in the neck forces or moments were detected at the time of the neck contacts. Position of the clips did not affect the results. Harness slack increased head excursion, as expected, but this effect did not differ between the tests with and without the clips.Conclusions: Cross chest clips do not appear to greatly influence the dynamic performance of a forward facing child restraint in a simulated frontal crash. Taken together with recent research suggesting a potential benefit in injury reduction from the clips in the real world, possibly due to maintaining the harness straps in place on a child's shoulders, it may be appropriate to re-evaluate safety standards that prevent their use.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cross-chest clips in child restraints: A crash testing study

Bilston

Kent

Brown

2019

Traffic Injury Prevention

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“…Parents frequently report relying on the information supplied with restraints as a primary source on how to use restraints 11. In a recent Australian survey of 400 parents, 90% reported that they had read the instructions supplied with the restraints and 75% reported they were easy to understand 12. However, instructions supplied with child restraints tend to be written at a higher level than could be expected for comprehension by those with basic literacy levels,13 and continuing high rates of errors in use are evident, particularly among those from culturally and linguistically diverse communities10This suggests current approaches to developing product standard guidelines and the materials supplied with restraints are not assisting to reduce incorrect use.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%