Citation

Griffiths M, Skidmore A. Proc. IRCOBI 1987; 15: 123-132.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1987, International Research Council on Biomechanics of Injury)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In Australia seat belt fitment has been mandatory in vehicles since 1969 and wearing has been mandatory since 1971. In some vehicles they have fallen apart from the constant use and exposure. It is therefore reasonable to assume that sometime before the complete in-service failure of such belts, there is a point at which they can no longer pass the minimum requirements of the Australian standard and hence offer adequate protection in a crash. The traffic authority of NSW occasionally receives reports of seat belts breaking in crashes, although there is no routine method of notifying these incidents. Where possible the broken components are obtained and the authority logs a formal report. Reports have been made on fourteen such incidents in the last ten years. These were associated with eleven fatalities. This paper reports on the results of a recent series of tests on aged used seat belts conducted by the authority in January 1987. The tests indicated that there was a general decline in the strength of all components of the seat belt system as they become older. This deterioration appeared to be most noticeable from eight to twelve years old. At the outset this study only aimed to find out if there was any deterioration of seat belts with age and to give a general idea of when this deterioration occurred. If there was evidence of deterioration it was considered this would support the case for bearing the costs of a more elaborate study with a stricter sampling technique. Arrangements are now in hand to conduct such a study. (TRRL)