COMMENTS ON THE THEME OF HEADRESTS FOR SEATS IN MOTOR CARS

STELLUNGNAHME ZUM THEMENKOMPLEX KOPFSTUETZEN FUER SITZE VON PERSONENKRAFTWAGEN

The comments comprise the statements, contents and experiences of a conference of experts (legal-medical practitioners, accident surgeons and motor engineers), some individual conversations with firms in the vehicle and components industry and a synopsis of available literature on the academic background and experience. After a survey of the present types of headrests and their principal characteristics, reference is made to statistics. Further described are the kinetics applied to passengers during an accident, the technical and accident-relative characteristics of headrests, the guide-lines used in development and relevant national and international legislation. Recommendations for legal requirements and tests are given. Consideration of the question whether headrests should be generally provided to the front seats of all cars produced the following results: (1) the protective effect of headrests is undisputed. It rests on a reduction or avoidance altogether of the consequences of an accident to front passengers arising from a rear-end collision and can, under certain circumstances, also assist rear passengers in the case of front-end collisions. (2) headrests of current design still have some disadvantages which could nevertheless be reduced or removed with the assistance of technical measures. Specific disadvantages are hindrance to sight, technical deficiencies such as possible faulty adjustments and restrictions to movement in the case of extrication. (3) the cost-benefit consideration applies only by acceptance of favourable conditions of an economic benefit for the headrest. A general duty to install headrests cannot therefore be unreservedly recommended. The account contains a full literature list and list of participants in the experts' discussion session. /TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  Federal Institute of Road Research, Germany

  Bruhlerstrasse 1, Postfach 510530
  D-5000 Cologne 51,   Germany 
• Authors:
  • SIEVERT, W
  • PULLWITT, E
  • Guelich, H A
  • Marburger, E A
  • Loeffelholz, H
  • FRIEDEL, B
• Publication Date: 1976-1

Language

• German

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 77 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automobiles; Benefit cost analysis; Construction management; Crash injury research; Crashes; Evaluation and assessment; Guidelines; Headrests; High risk drivers; Injuries; Legal factors; Legislation; Rear end crashes; Research; Restraint systems; Safety; Seats; Statistical analysis; Statistics; Surveys; Vehicle components; Vehicle occupants
• Old TRIS Terms: Legislative intent; Occupant restraint
• ITRD Terms: 1643: Accident; 1243: Car; 3666: Construction method; 226: Cost benefit analysis; 9020: Evaluation (assessment); 1399: Head restraint; 2163: Injury; 1556: Legislation; 1620: Rear end collision; 1665: Safety; 6555: Statistics; 1715: Vehicle occupant
• Subject Areas: Construction; Data and Information Technology; Highways; Law; Passenger Transportation; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00170385
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen (BASt)
• Report/Paper Numbers: Monograph
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 28 1978 12:00AM