BIOMECHANICAL RISK FACTORS FOR CHILDREN IN CARS AND AGGRAVATION BY MISUSE OF RESTRAINT SYSTEMS

The intensified research into accidents with children in cars during the last few years has provided more knowledge; safety standards have been updated and new solutions to problems are to be expected. In spite of this there are problem areas which are not sufficiently analysed yet. These are: (1) Level of biomechanical tolerance of children, especially injuries to head, neck and abdomen; (2) Safety measures for increased protection of children involved in side impacts; (3) Use of adult belts as "suitable system" for children up to 12 years of age; and (4) prevention of misuse. These problem fields are analysed on the basis of interviews, crash tests and new accident material "Child Safety 95". Preventing misuse has to be an aim of development for the future. A crash test programme has been started to analyse injury mechanisms of children restrained with adult belts, and to explain observations from real accidents. The influence of the special misuse "children restrained with adult belts" on injury risks is analysed in real accidents. This accident study showed that using adult belts too early results in a roughly two- to threefold risk increase - chiefly by raising the number of abdominal injuries. (A) For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 894848.