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One of the leading causes of death and disability among young children is motor vehicle accidents. Although current child restraint systems (car seats) have significantly reduced mortality and morbidity, deaths and injuries still occur. Since it is not possible to correlate human child injury potential with the biomechanical devices used for high level impact testing using experimental methods, the acquisition and analysis of specific child injury data identifiable with real world automobile crashes is critical for input to biomechanical research, anthropometric test device (ATD) development and safety standard revisions. The purpose of this study was to analyze vehicular-related trauma that had occurred to children in known crash environments based on accident configuration and car seat design.

This study utilizes a unique database that allows for the calculation of the correlation of injuries to child passengers involved in motor vehicle accidents with the restraint system and the accident characteristics. The database contains 4600 records of accidents involving children age 12 and under that occurred in 13 counties in western New York State during 1991 and 1992. Injured subjects and non-injured subjects were selected from data provided by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles identifying reported accidents involving the target population in the time period and geographical area defined. The data sources included police accident reports, emergency medical team reports, hospital records and contact with the parents of children who were in child restraints. In child restraint cases, the type of child restraint in use is identified and misuse or equipment failure is noted.

Head-neck injuries occur frequently in pedestrian and occupant automotive accidents even at relatively low speeds. This paper describes the results of laboratory impact experiments using human cadavers in pedestrian/vehicle impacts and lateral-to-medial head impacts at well-known, controlled speeds. Cerebral trauma, with and without skull fracture, is discussed as a function of impact configuration and velocity. Cervical spine and cord injuries are also discussed with regard to the same parameters. Data presented include impactor mass and velocity, head acceleration measurements, complete autopsy and dissection results, and the clinical evaluation of the effect on a person of the observed trauma. Eighteen cadavers have been exposed to lateral-to-medial head impacts by two mechanisms.