This paper summarizes the results of research conducted by the NHTSA to determine how changing vehicle design parameters influence child restraint performance. Initial research consisted of surveying late-model vehicle's interior design characteristics as they pertain to child restraint systems. The next step involved dynamic evaluation of booster seats with respect to injury/excursion criteria measured on child test dummies under conditions which illustrated the changing vehicle design characteristics. Belt-positioning booster seat tests were conducted to evaluate the effect of belt type (lap/shoulder versus lap only belt) on seat performance. Differences in small-shield booster behaviour when used with lap only belt or lap/shoulder belt combinations were established in another series of tests. Another study demonstrated how varying seat back rigidity changed small-shield booster test results. (A)
Samenvatting