CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS. HANDLING PERFORMANCE OF BUCKLES AND HARNESSES ON CHILD SEATS

THIS IS A REPORT OF TWO STUDIES OF CHILD SEATS FOR CARS PURSUED AT THE NATIONAL SWEDISH ROAD AND TRAFFIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE. THE FIRST STUDY DEALS WITH TWO TO FIVE YEAR OLD CHILDREN'S ABILITY TO OPEN DIFFERENT BUCKLES ON CHILD SEATS. THE SECOND STUDY DEALS WITH ADULT'S DIFFICULTIES IN REMOVING CHILDREN FROM DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHILD SEAT UNDER SIMULATED CONDITIONS OF DARKNESS, WHICH INVOLVED TESTING THE BUCKLES AS WELL AS THE HARNESSES ON THESE SEATS. A CHILD-DUMMY WAS USED IN THE SECOND STUDY. IN THE FIRST EXPERIMENT ALL BUT ONE OF THE CHILDREN OVER FOUR YEARS OF AGE OPENED ALL OF THE BUCKLES. HALF OF THE BUCKLES WERE OPENED BY ONE OR MORE OF THE YOUNGEST CHILDREN. THE BUCKLES CAN BE DIVIDED INTO THREE CATEGORIES; THOSE WHICH ARE TECHNICALLY DIFFICULT TO OPEN, THOSE WHICH REQUIRE STRENGTH TO OPEN, AND THOSE WHICH ARE BOTH TECHNICALLY DIFFICULT AND REQUIRE STRENGTH. THE BUCKLES IN THE LAST CATEGORY WERE THE MOST DIFFICULT ONES FOR THE CHILDREN TO OPEN, AND ONE OF THESE BUCKLES COULD NOT BE OPENED BY ANY CHILD UNDER FOUR YEARS OF AGE. IN THE EXPERIMENT WITH ADULTS, OPENING TIMES FOR THE BUCKLES DIFFERED GREATLY, AND IT TOOK MORE THAN TWO MINUTES BEFORE ONE OR MORE OF THE SUBJECTS HAD "RESCUED" THE CHILD DUMMY FROM FIVE OF THE TEN SEATS. (SEE ALSO IRRD ABSTRACTS NOS 211169 AND 211170

• Supplemental Notes:
  • See also HRIS#51-083388 & 51-083389.
• Corporate Authors:

  Swedish National Road and Traffic Research Institute

  Drottning Kristinas Vaeg 25
  S-11428 Stockholm,   Sweden 
• Authors:
  • Arnberg, P
• Publication Date: 1974

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: 57 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adolescents; Adults; Anthropometry; Buckles (Fasteners); Buckling; Children; Dummies; Handling characteristics; Manual safety belts; Restraint systems; Seat belts; Seats
• Uncontrolled Terms: Handling
• Old TRIS Terms: Minors; Occupant restraint; Seat (Car)
• ITRD Terms: 1747: Adult; 1618: Anthropometric dummy; 1475: Buckle (safety belt); 1758: Child; 1466: Passive safety system; 1476: Safety belt; 1388: Seat (veh)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00083392
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• Report/Paper Numbers: No. 37A R&D Rept.
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 8 1975 12:00AM