Effects of booster seat sliding on responses and injuries of child occupant

Abstract

Booster seat sliding on vehicle seat can influence kinematical and injury outcomes of child occupant in frontal collision accidents. This paper presents a study of the effects of booster seat sliding on submarining tendency and other injury risks of child occupant. A multi-body model of the Hybrid III 6-year-old dummy positioned in a booster seat was developed on MADYMO platform. Using the model, four load cases were simulated to study the sliding effects on submarining and injury outcomes of the child dummy. The study has revealed that the booster seat sliding can increase ride-down efficiency and in general exert positive effects on injury reduction. It also has some unfavourable effects in cases when booster sliding causes the child to impact the seatback of the front-row seat or if the child is in a more reclined posture that has higher risk of submarining. The unfavourable effects can be avoided by optimising design of child restraint system.