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Seat belt anchorage locations have a strong effect on occupant protection. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 210 specifies requirements for the layout of the anchorages relative to the seating reference point and seat back angle established by the SAE J826 H-point manikin. Sled testing and computational simulation has established that belt anchorage locations have a strong effect on occupant kinematics, particularly for child occupants using the belt as their primary restraint. As part of a larger study of vehicle geometry, the locations of the anchorage points in the second-row, outboard seating positions of 83 passenger cars and light trucks with a median model year of 2005 were measured. The lower anchorage locations spanned the entire range of lap belt angles permissible under FMVSS 210 and the upper anchorages (D-ring locations) were distributed widely as well.

Three different models of forward-facing CRS were evaluated dynamically using a two-point belt fixation (FMVSS 213 Standard). Ann additional test was conducted with one same model of CRS but using the three-point belt fixation. Results showed that CRS performance differ strongly according to belt fixation being the two-point belt securement dangerously inefficient for children transportation safety.

Reliable, accurate data on vehicle occupant characteristics could be used to personalize the occupant experience, potentially improving both satisfaction and safety. Recent improvements in 3D camera technology and increased use of cameras in vehicles offer the capability to effectively capture data on vehicle occupant characteristics, including size, shape, posture, and position. In previous work, the body dimensions of standing individuals were reliably estimated by fitting a statistical body shape model (SBSM) to data from a consumer-grade depth camera (Microsoft Kinect). In the current study, the methodology was extended to consider seated vehicle occupants. The SBSM used in this work was developed using laser scan data gathered from 147 children with stature ranging from 100 to 160 cm and BMI from 12 to 27 kg/m2 in various sitting postures.

Advanced airbag systems use information from a variety of sensors to tune the airbag performance for crash severity and occupant characteristics. A new family of Occupant Classification ATDs (OCATD) have been developed for use in the design and testing of advanced airbag systems. This paper describes the development of anthropometric standards for an OCATD that represents a typical six-year-old child. Detailed analyses of existing child anthropometry databases were conducted to develop reference dimensions. A child who closely matched the reference dimensions was measured in a variety of conditions. A custom molded measurement seat was constructed using foam-in-place seating material. The surface of the child's body was scanned as he sat in the custom seat, and the three-dimensional locations of body landmarks defining the skeleton position were recorded.

Children who are too large for harness restraints but too small to obtain good restraint from a vehicle seatbelt alone should be seated in a belt-positioning booster. Boosters have been shown to significantly reduce abdominal injuries caused by seatbelts. This effectiveness may be due in part to the fact that boosters reduce the effective seat cushion length, allowing children to sit more comfortably without slouching. NHTSA recommends that children who do not use harness restraints use boosters until they are at least 145 cm tall. In this paper, data from several sources were combined to assess how well children fit on rear seat cushions. Data from NASS-GES were analyzed to determine the age distribution of rear-seat occupants. Anthropometric data from several sources were analyzed to determine the distribution of buttock-popliteal length, a measure of thigh length that is a key determinant of seat fit, as a function of age and gender.

This paper presents a laboratory study of body dimensions, seated posture, and seatbelt fit for children weighing from 40 to 100 lb (18 to 45 kg). Sixty-two boys and girls were measured in three vehicle seats with and without each of three belt-positioning boosters. In addition to standard anthropometric measurements, three-dimensional body landmark locations were recorded with a coordinate digitizer in sitter-selected and standardized postures. This new database quantifies the vehicle-seated postures of children and provides quantitative evidence of the effects of belt-positioning boosters on belt fit. The data will provide guidance for child restraint design, crash dummy development, and crash dummy positioning procedures.

A detailed understanding of the size, shape, and postures of children is required to design effective restraint systems for protecting children in motor vehicle crashes. Compiled and edited by experts in the fields of anthropometry, ergonomics, and child restraint, this book includes 14 important papers which provide a comprehensive overview of the methods for collecting, analyzing, and applying child anthropometry data for crash safety purposes. A detailed understanding of the size, shape, and postures of children is required to design effective restraint systems for protecting children in motor vehicle crashes. Compiled and edited by experts in the fields of anthropometry, ergonomics, and child restraint, this book includes 14 important papers which provide a comprehensive overview of the methods for collecting, analyzing, and applying child anthropometry data for crash safety purposes.