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Child dummies used in certification dynamic tests have not been improved since their marketing and their approval as European regulation dummies. Their main shortcoming lies in a too high and therefore unrealistic stiffness of the torso front part. The paper addresses a study carried out in the aim of solving this problem. It includes two parts: in a first section, the changes brought to the dummy torso and intended to improve its biofidelity and to reduce stiffness drastically are described. In order to reach such an objective, the lower part of the upper torso was remodelled; the pelvis profile was redefined and the geometrical and mechanical characteristics of the foam used for the abdominal insert were changed. The results obtained using two transducers installed in the abdominal section are then presented. The measurement principle of the first transducer consists in a pressure measurement, and the principle of the second one in a load measurement.

Over the past few years, in France, the use of child restraint systems increases continuously. But, the accidentologic data highlight that improvements are still necessary to decrease the frequency and the severity of the cervical and abdominal injuries. In order to extend the knowledge about the lesional mechanisms of these two body segments, numerous studies are undertaken to design transducers. Relating to the abdomen, with the current device (block of plasticine) recommended for the dynamic tests, we have only a posteriori evaluation. Consequently, this method does not allow to obtain data relative to the time. It is an important lack for the development of new child safety devices. This paper presents an intra-abdominal pressure transducer, designed and developed at the Laboratory of impacts and Biomechanics of INRETS. In a first step, this transducer is implanted into the TN03 dummy.

In France, among the 12200 road users who died in 1979, 900 were children under 15 years. General statistics indicate that road accident fatalities are quite comparable for children between the three users'categories - pedestrians, cyclists and automobile occupants. In order to propose some technical improvements for primary as well as secondary safety, it is important to better specify the real distribution of risks, the circumstances and injury consequences of accidents. An epidemiological investigation has been set up with its sources at the hospital emergency services specialised for children. The first results obtained at the hospital Marseille Nord are discussed and let emphasize on the higher severity of head injuries, particularly with unconsciousness for the pedestrian. Lower limbs lesions were mainly fractures for the pedestrian while the 2 wheeler suffered fractures to both upper and lower limbs.

In France, the improvement of the child protection in cars has been one main concern since 1975. It sets a quite specific problem dealling with physical and psychological factors. This paper will give an overview of the actual situation. The accident statistics and investigations recall the benefits of the back seat travel for the children under ten years old. Moreover two surveys aiming at describing the real conditions in which the child is travelling in the car and the restraint system is used, are analysed. They indicate the very low use rate of child restraints especially for eldest as well as the parents appreciations on these child restraints. These elements are discussed in order to propose future efforts which contribute to the improvement of the child occupant’s safety.