Is comfort important for optimal use of child restraints?

This thesis consists of four related studies that have focused on the relationships between comfort and optimal child restraint use. These studies have examined the relationships between parent perceived comfort and both appropriate restraint choice and correct child restraint use as well as the relationship between child experienced comfort and correct restraint use. The results of these studies indicate that there is no link between parent perceived comfort and appropriate restraint choice. However, there is a relationship between parent perceived comfort and restraint misuse, particularly active misuse of the harness or seat belt. A method for measuring and quantifying comfort experienced by the child was identified and used to compare the level of comfort experienced by the child in an add-on restraint system and an integrated restraint system. These results suggest that while some parents report concern about their child’s comfort, parent-reported comfort levels were not associated with age appropriate restraint choice. However, parent reported comfort is important for the correct use of restraints. There is evidence to support the notion that the comfort experienced by the child is important for correct restraint use. The method we have developed for studying real comfort can be used in naturalistic studies involving child occupants to further understand this relationship. Overall the results of this body of work indicate comfort experienced by children in child restraints may be related to errors in use that occur through interaction between the child and the restraint system. It is recommended that naturalistic studies be conducted to confirm the relationships between child experienced comfort and restraint misuse as well as the relationship between specific restraint design features and comfort.

• Record URL:
  http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/57331
• Supplemental Notes:
  • PhD thesis
• Authors:
  • Fong, C K
• Publication Date: 2017

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 1 file

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Children; Comfort; Design; Manual safety belts; Parents; Safety; Seat belt use; Vehicle safety; Vehicles
• Uncontrolled Terms: Safe systems (vehicles)
• ATRI Terms: Behaviour; Child; Comfort; Design; Parent; Restraint usage; Vehicle safety
• ITRD Terms: 9011: Design (overall design); 1388: Seat (veh)
• Subject Areas: Design; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I92: Vehicle Comfort;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01635191
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: May 24 2017 1:43PM