As car occupants children tend to represent a small proportion of the total fatality group, but count for a larger proportion as pedestrians and cyclists. Initiatives to reduce child casualties are focused on increased child restraint use and improved child restraint effectiveness. Conducting experiments using children is more difficult so typical injury assessment values have to be based on scaling methods from adults or animal substitutes. Detailed knowledge of biomechanical properties of children both at tissue and structural level is required. Areas for further knowledge include research on the mechanical properties of child tissue, particularly the brain and improved anthropomorphic data covering all stages of child development; a better understanding of child physiology, stature and biomechanics between birth and age 15, including the changes in tissue properties over this time period; improved analyses of the effects of age and physical development separate from size and mass; nature and causation of child injuries including child cyclist injuries; child restraint protection issues and effects of restraint misuse; and better co-operation between researchers, police and paediatricians.
Abstract