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Full text release has been delayed at the author's request until May 10, 2025

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Investigation of Pediatric Seat Belt Fit on Belt-Positioning Booster Seats (BPBs) and the Implications for Belt Interaction and Dynamic Outcomes during Motor Vehicle Crashes

Baker, Gretchen Hess
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7302-6995
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1650357582531785

Abstract Details

2022, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Biomedical Engineering.
Motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) remain a leading cause of death and injury for children who may be of the appropriate age (4–12 years) and size (33–63”, 40–125 lbs) to be restrained by belt-positioning booster seats (BPBs). Of these injuries, head injuries due to contact to the vehicle interior are most frequent and are often influenced by variations in pre-crash seatbelt placement. BPBs help to protect children primarily by raising their seated height to improve the fit of the adult seatbelt, especially on the child’s torso and pelvis. However, current metrics of static shoulder and lap belt fit may not fully characterize if a BPB provides optimal belt fit and good seatbelt-to-torso interaction during a crash. Previous work has identified that degree of initial shoulder belt-to-torso contact (or, presence of belt gap at the lower torso) may also influence child kinematics and belt interaction during low-speed vehicle maneuvers, ultimately influencing the potential for shoulder belt slip-off. Additionally, naturalistic variation in child postures while restrained by BPBs may also influence belt fit outcomes and warrants investigation. The studies presented here seek to further understanding of the static belt fit, posture, and dynamic crash outcomes for children restrained by BPBs. Novel metrics of seatbelt fit (belt gap) for BPB-seated occupants are introduced and investigated, alongside conventional belt fit metrics and 3D postural analysis, for two cohorts of child volunteers across a range of BPB, vehicle, and postural conditions. The static belt fit of six pediatric anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) are evaluated and compared to child outcomes across conditions as well. Finally, dynamic sled tests of the pediatric ATDs were completed to evaluate the influence of static belt fit on kinematic and injury outcomes in frontal and oblique crash scenarios. Novel metrics of belt gap were successfully developed and utilized to quantify differences in belt-to-torso contact for children and ATDs. BPB design features which influence the degree of belt fit, belt gap, and postural outcomes were also identified. ATDs were found to provide representative differences in static belt fit and belt gap metrics across BPB conditions. During dynamic evaluation, BPBs which provided initially larger and longer regions of belt gap were found to increase the ATD lumbar axial moment and shoulder rotation. These results suggest that the lack of initial contact between the lower torso and shoulder belt allowed the ATD to rotate axially to a greater degree before being restrained by the shoulder belt during the impacts, potentially increasing the propensity for shoulder belt slip-off. Future work is needed to further elucidate the relationships between static belt fit and dynamic performance across a larger range of BPB and crash characteristics.
John Bolte, IV (Advisor)
Alan Litsky (Committee Member)
Yun Seok Kang (Committee Member)
Katarina Bohman (Committee Member)
419 p.
Biomechanics; Biomedical Engineering; Mechanical Engineering
Booster Seats, Belt Fit, Child Restraint Systems, Child Passenger Safety, Seatbelts, Belt-Positioning Boosters, Pediatric Injury Biomechanics

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Baker, G. H. (2022). Investigation of Pediatric Seat Belt Fit on Belt-Positioning Booster Seats (BPBs) and the Implications for Belt Interaction and Dynamic Outcomes during Motor Vehicle Crashes [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1650357582531785

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Baker, Gretchen. Investigation of Pediatric Seat Belt Fit on Belt-Positioning Booster Seats (BPBs) and the Implications for Belt Interaction and Dynamic Outcomes during Motor Vehicle Crashes. 2022. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1650357582531785.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Baker, Gretchen. "Investigation of Pediatric Seat Belt Fit on Belt-Positioning Booster Seats (BPBs) and the Implications for Belt Interaction and Dynamic Outcomes during Motor Vehicle Crashes." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2022. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1650357582531785

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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© 2022, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.
Release 3.2.12