Obesity has been shown to increase the risks to motor vehicle occupants of some types of injury in crashes. The effects of obesity on injuries are not well understood and current prevention efforts do not effectively address the vulnerability associated with the high body mass index (BMI) cohort. Previous studies demonstrated that obesity effectively introduces slack in the seat belt restraint system by routing the belt further away from the underlying skeletal structures. These studies, however, have not measured individuals with a BMI ? 40 kg/m2. Because approximately 5% of US adults have BMI exceeding this threshold, this study extends the previous research on the relationships between body habitus and belt fit with data from 52 male and female licensed drivers with BMI from 31 to 59 kg/m2 (median 38 kg/m2). Consistent with previous research, higher BMI was associated with a lap belt position further forward and higher relative to the pelvis. On average, a person with a BMI of 40 places the belt 118 mm above and 68 mm forward of the anterior-superior iliac spine landmarks on the pelvis. Previous studies have shown mean values of 31 mm and 33 mm, respectively, for individuals with BMI 25. The data suggest a continued focus on improving restraint systems for individuals with high BMI is needed. (Author/publisher)
Abstract