NCJ Number
55689
Date Published
1978
Length
19 pages
Annotation
TYPES OF INJURY MOST COMMON IN AUTOMOBILE, LIGHT PLANE, AND MOTORCYCLE CRASHES ARE REVIEWED, AND SAFETY SYSTEMS TO REDUCE THESE INJURIES ARE RECOMMENDED. THE DATA ARE PRIMARILY FROM GREAT BRITAIN.
Abstract
AFTER AN EXPLANATION OF THE TYPES OF FORCES WHICH IMPACT UPON DRIVERS (OR PILOTS) AND PASSENGERS IN A CRASH, THE VARIOUS TYPES OF RESTRAINT HARNESS ARE ASSESSED. THE SINGLE LAP BELT DOES LITTLE TO PREVENT INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND UPPER TORSO AND MAY ACT AS A FULCRUM, CAUSING LEG INJURIES. SINGLE DIAGONAL BELTS PROVIDE NO PELVIC SUPPORT. THE THREE-POINT BELT (A DIAGONAL PLUS A LAP BELT) IS THE MOST COMMONLY USED DEVICE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. CORRECT ADJUSTMENT, HOWEVER, IS ESSENTIAL, AND IT DOES NOT FIT SMALL CHILDREN. AIR BAGS ARE STILL EXPERIMENTAL. THE FULL UPPER TORSO HARNESS IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE RESTRAINT, BUT ITS USE IS CONFINED TO RACING CARS AND LIGHT AIRCRAFT. ANALYSIS OF LIGHT AIRCRAFT ACCIDENTS SHOWED THAT NEARLY A FOURTH OF THE DEATHS WERE DUE TO HARNESS FAILURE. MAJOR PROBLEMS IN MOTOR VEHICLES RESULT FROM FAILURE TO PROVIDE SEAT BELTS FOR ALL PASSENGERS AND FAILURE FOR PASSENGERS TO WEAR BELTS. (A STUDY FOUND THAT ONLY 3 PERCENT OF REAR SEAT PASSENGERS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND IN AUSTRALIA WEAR SEAT BELTS.) SPECIAL RESTRAINT SYSTEMS ARE NEEDED FOR CHILDREN. THE ANALYSIS THEN REVIEWS CAUSES OF HEAD AND NECK INJURIES, AND RECOMMENDS SEAT DESIGNS TO REDUCE SUCH INJURIES. INJURIES CAUSED BY LAP BELTS ARE REVIEWED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT IN A MAJORITY OF CASES THESE INJURIES WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE SEVERE WITHOUT THE SEAT BELT. CRASH HELMETS AND FRONT AND REAR CRASH BARS ARE RECOMMENDED TO PROTECT MOTORCYCLISTS. SAFETY GLASS AND ATTENTION TO SAFETY IN AUTOMOBILE AND LIGHT PLANE DESIGN IS URGED. PHOTOGRAPHS AND DRAWINGS ILLUSTRATE THE ARTICLE. REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (GLR)