Citation

Digges KH, Dalmotas DJ. Proc. Int. Tech. Conf. Enhanced Safety Vehicles 2003; 2003: 472-476.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, In public domain, Publisher National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The National Automotive Sampling System/Crashworthiness Data System (NASS/CDS) was used to determine distributions of serious injuries and injuring contacts for belted occupants in far-side impacts. The results showed that the most harmful injury source is the opposite side of the car, and the second most harmful is the safety belt. Crash tests indicated differences in the extent of restraint offered by different belt systems. In all three point belt systems tested, the shoulder belt was ineffective in preventing large amounts of head incursions. Restraint was achieved by the lap belt loading the abdomen. The baseline belt system with a fixed latch plate and two retractors permitted the lowest head excursion of the systems tested.