RESEARCH PORTFOLIO

Epidemiologic Investigation of Child Restraint Installation Position and Serious Injury among Children in Motor Vehicle Crashes

Principal Investigator: Rachel Myers, PhD

The goal of this study is to create a unique source of epidemiologic crash data that enables novel description of use and installation patterns of child restraints among crash-involved children and— following linkage with hospital discharge and death certificate data—novel description of child occupant injury outcomes based on restraint use and installation (rear- vs. forward-facing).

2017-2018

Vertical Vehicle Kinematics in Frontal Crashes – Implications for Rear Row Occupants: Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

During a frontal crash test, the vehicle experiences principally longitudinal deceleration, but also vertical kinematics that cause the rear of the vehicle to move upward or “pitch” forward. In the literature, research studies on vehicle vertical kinematics in frontal crash tests is sparse but spans decades. A 2016 a study showed that the additional vehicle body pitch to a planar sled test was essential to reproducing ATD injury metrics observed in…

2016-2017

Fidelity of the Upgraded FMVSS 213 Bench: Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

In March of 2015, NHTSA released the drawing package and specifications of a revised Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) 213 Bench (213R) that will be intended for use in regulatory sled tests. This study aims to characterize the fidelity of the 213R Bench as a system, as compared to real vehicle seats. Researchers will also characterize the current FMVSS 213 Bench, to assess any change in fidelity that would result if the current bench…

2015-2016

Pediatric Brain Injury Assessment in Real World Crashes (Multiple Year Project): Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the leading pediatric injury in motor vehicle crashes, and an ever-expanding array of safety systems are being developed that have the potential to mitigate TBI. Human body computer models are under development and have the potential to guide the development of such safety systems, but pediatric human body models are limited. In this project, investigators are developing a family of pediatric finite element (FE) brain…
Effect of ATD Certification Specification Variance on Full-scale Sled Testing Performance: Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

This project enhances our understanding of the regulatory test (FMVSS 213) that governs car restraint system (CRS) performance. The long-term objective of this line of research is to increase the engineering knowledge-base available to industry and researchers on the variability associated with the regulatory test procedures used to certify pediatric safety systems, thereby decreasing the time to bring new technologies to market and thus reducing…

2014-2015

Pediatric Brain Injury Assessment in Real World Crashes (Multiple Year Project): Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the leading pediatric injury in motor vehicle crashes, and an ever-expanding array of safety systems are being developed that have the potential to mitigate TBI. Human body computer models are under development and have the potential to guide the development of such safety systems, but pediatric human body models are limited. In this project, investigators are developing a family of pediatric finite element (FE) brain…

2013-2014

Pediatric Brain Injury Assessment in Real World Crashes (Multiple Year Project): Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the leading pediatric injury in motor vehicle crashes, and an ever-expanding array of safety systems are being developed that have the potential to mitigate TBI. Human body computer models are under development and have the potential to guide the development of such safety systems, but pediatric human body models are limited. In this project, investigators are developing a family of pediatric finite element (FE) brain…
Child Restraint System Misuse in the Field and in Full-Vehicle Crash Tests (Multiple Year Project): Principal Investigator: Mark R. Zonfrillo, MD, MSCE

The objectives of this research are to: (1) convert from paper to digital format and analyze the field misuse data from the Pennsylvania Traffic Injury Prevention Project (PA TIPP) checkpoints, to further clarify behavior in the modern CRS consumer beyond what has been currently established, and (2) explain the performance of properly used and misused CRS in full-scale vehicle crashes, adding valuable data to previously published studies using…
Comparing FMVSS 213 Sled Test to the Full-scale Vehicle Crash Environment (Multiple Year Project): Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

The long-term goal of this study is to determine the effect of geometric and material modifications to the FMVSS 213 bench on the ability of the bench, used in regulatory sled testing, to replicate a real vehicle seat in a crash.
Child Restraint System Misuse in the Field and in Full-Vehicle Crash Tests (Multiple Year Project): Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

The objectives of this research are to: (1) convert from paper to digital format and analyze the field misuse data from the Pennsylvania Traffic Injury Prevention Project (PA TIPP) checkpoints, to further clarify behavior in the modern CRS consumer beyond what has been currently established, and (2) explain the performance of properly used and misused CRS in full-scale vehicle crashes, adding valuable data to previously published studies using sled…

2012-2013

Child Restraint System Misuse in the Field and in Full-Vehicle Crash Tests (Multiple Year Project): Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

The objectives of this research are to: (1) convert from paper to digital format and analyze the field misuse data from the Pennsylvania Traffic Injury Prevention Project (PA TIPP) checkpoints, to further clarify behavior in the modern CRS consumer beyond what has been currently established, and (2) explain the performance of properly used and misused CRS in full-scale vehicle crashes, adding valuable data to previously published studies using sled…
Child Restraint System Misuse in the Field and in Full-Vehicle Crash Tests (Multiple Year Project): Principal Investigator: Mark R. Zonfrillo, MD, MSCE

The objectives of this research are to: (1) convert from paper to digital format and analyze the field misuse data from the Pennsylvania Traffic Injury Prevention Project (PA TIPP) checkpoints, to further clarify behavior in the modern CRS consumer beyond what has been currently established, and (2) explain the performance of properly used and misused CRS in full-scale vehicle crashes, adding valuable data to previously published studies using…

2011-2012

Comparing FMVSS 213 Sled Test to the Full-scale Vehicle Crash Environment (Multiple Year Project): Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

The long-term goal of this study is to determine the effect of geometric and material modifications to the FMVSS 213 bench on the ability of the bench, used in regulatory sled testing, to replicate a real vehicle seat in a crash.

2010-2011

Comparing FMVSS 213 Sled Test to the Full-scale Vehicle Crash Environment (Multiple Year Project): Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

The long-term goal of this study is to determine the effect of geometric and material modifications to the FMVSS 213 bench on the ability of the bench, used in regulatory sled testing, to replicate a real vehicle seat in a crash.

2008-2009

Cervical Range of Motion of Children and Adult Volunteers: Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

The primary objective of this study is to compare the static passive cervical spine flexion of children of specific age groups (6-8, 9-12, 13-15) with adults.

2007-2008

Passive Range of Motion of Adult and Child Cervical Spines: Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

The primary objective of this study is to compare the static passive cervical spine flexion of children of specific age groups (6-8, 9-12, 13-15) with adults. As a secondary objective, these data will be applied to guide the development of child-based anthropometric test device (ATD) neck biofidelity requirements through a validated computational model of the pediatric cervical spine.

2006-2007

Comparative Performance of the Hybrid III 3C and Q3 Dummy Necks in Simulated Frontal Crashes: Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

At the time this research was conducted, two anthropometric test devices (ATDs) representing the 3-year-old human child existed -- the Q3 and the Hybrid III 3C. When used to evaluate safety systems, each yielded different neck injury criteria metrics. The project goal was to build on the quasistatic testing by examining the performance of the necks in a simulated frontal FMVSS No. 213 crash. The results of this research were used to determine how…
Injury Mechanisms in Belt-restrained Children in Side Impact Crashes: Principal Investigator: Matthew R. Maltese, PhD

The research delineated injury mechanisms for children involved in side impact crashes and highlighted the differences and similarities between adult and child injury patterns. The research helped determine when adult safety system concepts can be applied to children and when they cannot. It also described the patterns and mechanisms of injuries, such as abdominal or upper extremity, or injuries to various organs experienced by belt-restrained…