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).

2023-2024

Interactions Between Rearward-Facing Child Restraint Systems with a Support Leg and the Center Console in Frontal Impact Sled Tests

Principal Investigator: Declan Patton, PhD

Installing a child restraint system (CRS) in the rear center seating position of a vehicle is common, especially rearward-facing CRS, as it is anecdotally considered the safest position. Only one study has investigated the interactions between rearward-facing CRS models and the center console during frontal impacts, which found that CRS contact with a center console resulted in elevated peak resultant head accelerations.

2022-2023

Strength of Underfloor Compartments When Loaded with a Support Leg During a Frontal Crash: Principal Investigator: Declan Patton, PhD

This study aims to quantify the strength of child restraint system support legs and underfloor compartments using drop tests.
Interactions Between Rear-Facing Child Restraint Systems and the Vehicle Door in Frontal-Oblique Impact Sled Tests: Principal Investigator: Declan Patton, PhD

This study aims to quantify the head and neck injury metrics associated with anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) in rear-facing child restraint system models for frontal-oblique impacts.

2021-2022

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).

2019-2020

ATD Responses in Rear-facing/Forward-facing Configurations in Frontal and Rear Impact Sled Tests: Principal Investigator: Declan Patton, PhD

This project aims to quantify the kinematics and kinetics of the Q6 and Q10 ATD installed in rear-facing/forward-facing configurations in frontal and rear impact sled testing.