2021-2022

Understanding Sources of Disparities in Child Restraint System Behaviors

Principal Investigator: Emma Sartin, PhD, MPH

This study aims to: 1) determine how caregivers receive information about their car seat products (e.g., car seat installation), caregivers’ preferences on future communication of this information, and their knowledge and use of car seat technologies and installation methods; and 2) examine how differences in sources of information impact car seat knowledge and real-world behaviors and use.

Motion of Reclined Booster-Seated Children During Sled-Simulated Lateral Oblique Pre-Crash Scenarios

Principal Investigator: Valentina Graci, PhD

This project aims to quantify kinematics, muscle activity, and seat belt loads of booster-seated child volunteers on a reclined vehicle seat across multiple seatback angles during a lateral oblique sled-simulated pre-crash maneuver. A second aim is to examine the difference between types of booster seats on children’s motion during a lateral oblique sled-simulated pre-crash maneuver.

IIHS Side Impact Barrier 2.0: Exploring the Effect of the Upgraded Barrier Impact on Naturalistically Seated Pediatric Occupants in Booster CRSs

Principal Investigator: Jalaj Maheshwari, MS

The goal of this study is to utilize computational modeling to examine the kinematics and kinetics of naturalistically booster-seated pediatric human body models as per The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's new side impact test protocol.

Naturalistic Seating Postures in Frontal Impacts - Translating the Effect of ATD Seating Posture to Booster CRS Sled Testing Using the Q6 ATD

Principal Investigator: Jalaj Maheshwari, MS

This project aims to examine the effect of different seating postures on the kinematic and kinetic response of optimal and sub-optimal belt fit using a booster-seated Q6 anthropomorphic test device (ATD) and to quantify the variation across postures and child restraint systems in a frontal impact.

Interactions Between Rear-Facing Child Restraint Systems and the Front Row Seatback in Frontal Impact Sled Tests

Principal Investigator: Declan Patton, PhD

The goals of this project are to quantify the head and neck injury metrics of the Q1.5 anthropomorphic test device (ATD) in a rear-facing infant child restraint system (CRS) and the Q3 ATD in a rear-facing convertible CRS during frontal impacts for position (i.e., braced, touching or 25 mm gap) and support leg use (i.e. with or without).

New Insights for the Auto Industry: Identifying Key Eye-Tracking Metrics Associated with Cognitive Control While Driving, Validated by MEG Neuroimaging

Principal Investigator: Elizabeth Walshe, PhD

This study aims to quantify eye behavior associated with increased cognitive brain responses during simulated driving scenarios in typically developed teens and conduct a pilot comparison of these eye tracking metrics and frontal lobe responses to those in teens with impaired cognitive control, via a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.

Investigation on Mitigative Impact of Front Seat Back into Rear Passenger Space and Effects on Front Seat Occupant in Rear Impacts - Year 2

Principal Investigator: Yun Seok Kang, PhD

This project builds on prior CChIPS research to investigate front row seatback stiffness, deformation, and rotation to adequately absorb crash energy for front row occupants while also preventing excessive rearward rotation into the rear row space.

Load Leg Compatibility with Vehicles

Principal Investigator: Julie Mansfield, PhD

The research team will survey approximately 50 modern vehicle seats to quantify relevant dimensions for load leg design such as seat cushion length, seat cushion angle, height from the floor, and floor characteristics; document the characteristics of CRS load legs on the US market and install a select sample of CRS into approximately 20 vehicles to determine where and how load legs typically contact the floor pan; and compile these benchmark data to…

Usability and Stability of European vs. American Belt Routing for No-Base CRS Installations

Principal Investigator: Julie Mansfield, PhD

This project seeks to determine whether the American or European belt paths are practical installation options for US consumers by examining a sample of approximately 30 vehicles for their ability to accommodate no-base CRS installations.

Effects of Temperature and Humidity on Dynamic Test Components

Principal Investigator: John H. Bolte IV, PhD

This project seeks to determine how environmental conditions, specifically temperature and humidity, impact the dynamic and quasi-static response of the newly proposed FMVSS 213 bench foam. A range of acceptable temperature and humidity conditions mandated by the federal standard will be studied.

Phase II: Epidemiologic Investigation of Child Restraint Use and Injury among Children in Motor Vehicle Crashes

Principal Investigator: Rachel Myers, PhD

Year 2 work aims to complete linkage of 2018 and 2019 administrative data sources to supplement existing 2017 NJ Safety and Health Outcomes (NJ-SHO) data, to examine restraint use for select child occupant characteristics as well as driver and vehicle characteristics, and to comprehensively describe injuries for select child, driver, vehicle, and crash characteristics.

2020-2021

Evaluation of Rigid vs. Flexible LATCH: Fit-to-Vehicle with Consumer Performance and Feedback

Principal Investigator: Julie Mansfield, PhD

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of the rigid LATCH system for use within U.S. vehicles. The research team will evaluate a convenience sample of vehicles from the current U.S. market for their readiness for rigid LATCH CRS installations across a range of seating positions. A group of volunteer caregivers will install a CRS into a vehicle using three different types of LATCH system in order to evaluate consumer performance and feedback…

Integrating Eye Tracking with Real-Time Neuroimaging and Simulated Driving: A New Paradigm for Auto Industry Testing

Principal Investigator: Elizabeth Walshe, PhD

This study aims to integrate eye tracking technology into the millisecond-sensitive neuroimaging methods (magnetoencephalography: MEG) and simulated driving paradigm, and test the feasibility and synchronization of the eye tracking, MEG imaging, and simulated driving data in a baseline sample of teen drivers.

CRS Fit on Aircraft

Principal Investigator: John H. Bolte IV, PhD

This study aims to document compatibility concerns between CRS and aircraft seats and belts, including FMVSS 213 inversion test apparatus. The results will provide benchmark data for manufacturers and will develop guidelines for families who are preparing to fly with a CRS.

Shoulder Belt Interaction for Booster-Seated ATDs

Principal Investigator: John H. Bolte IV, PhD

The goal of the study is to evaluate dynamic outcomes of belt-positioning booster (BPB)-seated ATDs for various initial belt fit conditions and crash directions, in order to identify relationships between static belt fit and occupant posture with kinematic and injury outcomes during crash.

Understanding Reclined Small Occupants’ Kinematics in Frontal Crashes by Testing the LODC

Principal Investigator: Valentina Graci, PhD

This project aims to characterize kinematics and kinetics of the LODC when the seatback of a production vehicle seat is reclined during sled-simulated frontal vehicle crashes. A secondary aim of this project is to understand the influence of the booster seat on kinematics and kinetics of the LODC during sled-simulated frontal vehicle crashes.

Head Contacts in Rear-seated Pediatric Occupants When the Front Seat is Reclined in AEB Scenarios

Principal Investigator: Valentina Graci, PhD

This project aims to identify the likelihood and characteristics of head contact of a child seated behind a reclined front occupant in an autonomous driving seating configuration. Different combinations of front seat recline and track positions for the front occupant will be considered. The research team will investigate how the presence, type, and dimensions of a booster seat influence head contact by a rear-seated child occupant during an automatic…

Repeatability of the CRABI 12MO, CRABI 18MO, and Hybrid III 3YO ATD Neck Response During Forward and Rear Facing Frontal Impacts

Principal Investigator: Yun Seok Kang, PhD

This study aims to provide head/neck response data of the unmodified and modified CRABI and HII 3YO ATDs in forward- and rear-facing frontal impact scenarios using a mini-sled system.

Analysis of Sensor Technologies for Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke Prevention Based on Real-world Data

Principal Investigator: Jalaj Maheshwari, MS

This project focuses on pediatric vehicular heatstroke and aims: 1) to review real-world vehicular heatstroke cases caused by different circumstances and to determine prevention and alerting technologies, and 2) to document, relevant to heatstroke prevention, different educational efforts undertaken to inform parents and caregivers, and strategies used by vehicle and child seat assessment programs.

Rear-seated Occupant Kinematics and Kinetics in Small and Moderate Overlap Crashes: Restraint Characteristics and Occupant Interaction

Principal Investigator: Jalaj Maheshwari, MS

The goal of this study is to systematically explore the kinematics and kinetics of adjacent rear-seated pediatric occupants under different vehicle seat belt restraint characteristics, child seats, and seating positions in small and moderate overlap crashes.