Child Seat Safety - Part 2
We know child seats are important, but do we know why? How do they work to keep our children safer in a car accident, and why is it so vitally important that they be installed correctly?
It helps to first examine how seat belts work. There's an old saying in injury analysis -- "it's not how fast you're going, but how fast you stop," meaning injuries occur not because you are traveling fast, but because you stop incredibly quickly (like under a tenth of a second). To give an obvious example of this, a passenger jet lands at something like 150 mph, and everyone is fine because it comes to a stop over a relatively long period of time. If that same jet crashes into the ground at the same speed, everyone dies instantly. The difference is the time period over which the plane stops.
So let's apply this to seat belts and child safety seats. Let's say John runs his car into a wall at 50 mph, and is stupid enough to not be wearing a seat belt. John's car stops in the blink of an eye, but poor John keeps moving at 50 mph . . . until he hits the windshield with his head (for all of you smart alecks out there - his car didn't have an airbag). John has bought himself a ticket to the morgue, because his skull couldn't withstand those forces.
It helps to first examine how seat belts work. There's an old saying in injury analysis -- "it's not how fast you're going, but how fast you stop," meaning injuries occur not because you are traveling fast, but because you stop incredibly quickly (like under a tenth of a second). To give an obvious example of this, a passenger jet lands at something like 150 mph, and everyone is fine because it comes to a stop over a relatively long period of time. If that same jet crashes into the ground at the same speed, everyone dies instantly. The difference is the time period over which the plane stops.
So let's apply this to seat belts and child safety seats. Let's say John runs his car into a wall at 50 mph, and is stupid enough to not be wearing a seat belt. John's car stops in the blink of an eye, but poor John keeps moving at 50 mph . . . until he hits the windshield with his head (for all of you smart alecks out there - his car didn't have an airbag). John has bought himself a ticket to the morgue, because his skull couldn't withstand those forces.
Obviously, one thing a seat belt would have done is keep John from striking the interior of the vehicle. But another, less obvious, benefit of a seat belt is that it would have coupled John to the vehicle and allowed him to "ride down" the forces of the crash. Vehicles today are designed with crumple zones which are designed to collapse and absorb the energy from a collision, thereby lessening the forces on the occupants. Ideally, the occupant compartment is designed like a cage, and minimizes intrusion from other parts of the vehicle. As long as an occupant is wearing a seat belt correctly, he will gain the benefit of the cars crumple zones absorbing energy, and, like a jet landing, he will be able to ride down the accident forces over a longer period.
The seat belt retractor is designed to make sure the belt is snug to an occupant's body at all times. During normal movement of a passenger, it allows a person to move freely, but in an accident, or with a sudden stop, it locks quickly. It's important that the retractor lock quickly. Let's use the example of a 50 mph crash. If the retractor doesn't lock at the moment of impact, the occupant keeps moving at 50 mph. When the retractor locks too late, there are tremendous forces put on the person as he slams into the belt. An analogy would be the snapping of a whip.
This is why it's so important to install child carseats correctly. If a carseat is tightly coupled to the vehicle, via a seatbelt or "latch" system, and also a tether, then an infant or child will gain the benefit of the vehicle absorbing most of the accident forces -- the forces to the child are lessened. If the car seat is not tightly coupled, the child is going to keep moving forward at the vehicle's speed. Two things can happen - both of them bad. 1) The child can move forward so far that he strikes a component of the vehicles interior, and, 2) when the retractor does finally catch the seat, tremendous forces are put on the child's head and neck as he is snapped violently.
So, that's a quick lessen in seat belt safety, and why it's so important to install car seats correctly. In my next posts, we'll talk about how to install them so that your child is as safe as possible when he or she is riding in a car.
Most people have no idea how violent a high speed crash is. If you'd like to see the forces involved on a child, click here to see a video of testing done on a child accident dummy. As you'll see, it's still incredibly violent. Keep in mind that this is slow motion -- everything you see takes place in the blink of an eye.
If anyone ever questions the importance of a car seat, or jokes about how they didn't have them when they were kids, and they turned out fine, show them this video comparing a child in a car seat to one who's unrestrained.
The seat belt retractor is designed to make sure the belt is snug to an occupant's body at all times. During normal movement of a passenger, it allows a person to move freely, but in an accident, or with a sudden stop, it locks quickly. It's important that the retractor lock quickly. Let's use the example of a 50 mph crash. If the retractor doesn't lock at the moment of impact, the occupant keeps moving at 50 mph. When the retractor locks too late, there are tremendous forces put on the person as he slams into the belt. An analogy would be the snapping of a whip.
This is why it's so important to install child carseats correctly. If a carseat is tightly coupled to the vehicle, via a seatbelt or "latch" system, and also a tether, then an infant or child will gain the benefit of the vehicle absorbing most of the accident forces -- the forces to the child are lessened. If the car seat is not tightly coupled, the child is going to keep moving forward at the vehicle's speed. Two things can happen - both of them bad. 1) The child can move forward so far that he strikes a component of the vehicles interior, and, 2) when the retractor does finally catch the seat, tremendous forces are put on the child's head and neck as he is snapped violently.
So, that's a quick lessen in seat belt safety, and why it's so important to install car seats correctly. In my next posts, we'll talk about how to install them so that your child is as safe as possible when he or she is riding in a car.
Most people have no idea how violent a high speed crash is. If you'd like to see the forces involved on a child, click here to see a video of testing done on a child accident dummy. As you'll see, it's still incredibly violent. Keep in mind that this is slow motion -- everything you see takes place in the blink of an eye.
If anyone ever questions the importance of a car seat, or jokes about how they didn't have them when they were kids, and they turned out fine, show them this video comparing a child in a car seat to one who's unrestrained.
No TrackBacks
TrackBack URL: http://www.childsafetyblog.org/mt/mt-tb.cgi/34
CSB Home
CPSC
Recalls
Toys
Child
Safety In and Around Cars
Pool
and Water Safety
Internet
and Cyber Predators
Health
and Nutrition
Links
When I was a child, I once wandered away from my parents to look at something that caught my fancy -- completely oblivious to the ensuing panic my parents experienced. They found me a few minutes later, yelled and cried, and I promised never to do it again. I'm writing to you because I think your readers will be interested in learning about a new product from Nanomatic that will keep them from undergoing the trauma of having their child wander away if they make the mistake of diverting their attention for a scant few seconds...
I think this could be very helpful...
www.nanomatic.com
Hi there, I found your blog via Google while searching for something else but your post has some very interesting information.
Simply want to say your article is brilliant. The lucidity in your post is simply spectacular and i can take for granted you are an expert on this subject. Well with your permission allow me to grab your rss feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please keep up the fabulous work.
Hey, if you want to know about this you should check out my last post on the subject. We could even collaborate!
Have you ever seen the strategies recommended by attorneys to save your home, keep it in your family for generations to come. Seems like a smart decision, but that's just me!
This has been really interesting but how do I bookmark this? I tried Digg but do I have to sign up first?
Just want to say your article is brilliant. The clarity in your post is simply impressive and i can assume you are an expert on this subject. Well with your permission allow me to grab your rss feed to keep up to date with incoming post. Thanks a million and please keep up the gratifying work.
Aw, this was a really quality post. In theory I'd like to write like this too - taking time and real effort to make a good article... but what can I say... I procrastinate alot and never seem to get something done.
Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, I feel strongly about it and love learning more on this topic. If possible, as you gain expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more information? It is extremely helpful for me.
Very nice site!
I never would have thought how much stuff you could find on this! Thanks for making it simple to grasp
Saw your blog bookmarked on Digg.I love your site and marketing strategy. Check out my website if you get a chance, just click on name. My Anxiety Blog - http://anxiousanxietychat.blogspot.com
I can see that you are an expert at your field! I am launching a website soon, and your information will be very useful for me.. Thanks for all your help and wishing you all the success in your business.
My Wild Oats Have turned to Shredded Wheat!
Hi. I genuinely liked reading through your writing!. Very good article. I might suggest you to submit posts a bit more often. By doing this, having this kind of a worthy website I imagine you will certainly rank better in the search engines :) . I also subscribed to your RSS feed. Continue the good work!
Great article! This will benefit plenty of people find out about this issue. Do you want to include video tutorials along with these? It could absolutely help. Your description was spot on and owing to you
Do you negative post What is a Yankee?The same as a quickie, but a guy can do it alone
We've just begun utilising this as part of our application upgrade testing. Most applications, established on databases, have some kind of database upgrade component (e.g. SQL upgrade scripts utilizing update and insert statements) when you upgrade the application. This tool has proved priceless in assisting us determine the before and after alterations as part of an upgrade. Rather frequently we'll pass the this tool against a fully populated database and demonstrating the outcomes to a developer will shed light on all kinds of issues. A satisfactory time saver and very capable. Worth a tryout if nothing else.
I truly like reading your blog as the postings are so easy to read and follow. Outstanding. Please keep it up. Ciao.
Thanks for finding the time to create that, that helped us out
you really push me to make more of my own work. your creative spirit is contagious. many thanks
Regrettably, advanced computer programming skills aren’t necessary to execute this. Dozens of free tools are accessible for download on the Www specifically directed at catching, constructing, and running VoIP conversations. While hacks can apply these tools for unauthorized admittance to VoIP calls, they also serve up a recognised intent. VoIP administrators can take advantage of these very tools for penetration testing of their own nets.
I am not new to blogging and genuinely value your site. There is much original message that peaks my interest. I am going to bookmark your internet site and keep checking you out.
Very good, I really enjoyed that. Do you know of somewhere I can see more about it?
I'm kinda interested in the subject too, so I hope you come out with more of the same stuff.
Finally I found straightforward answers! When blondes have more fun do they know it?
Wonderful to read!
:O So mush Info :O ¡ THis Is he MOst AMAzing SIte DUDe¡
Hi I reach your site by mistake when i was searching Google for this issue, I must say your site is really helpful I also love the design, its amazing!. I dont have that much time to read all your post at the moment but I have bookmarked it and also add your RSS feeds. I will be back in a day or two. thanks for a great site.
Yet another good article. I put in a plug for this website at mine. So, I think many people forget the point you are discussing.
I've been reading a few posts and actually and enjoy your writing. I'm just starting up my own blog and only hope that I can write as well and give the reader so much insight.
Unsecured Personal Loans for People With Poor Credit Rating: a True Financial Friend Loans are easily available in the market these days without much hassle. So people apply for a loan to get every luxury even pay off the bills. But repayment is one major factor which is not taken care of by these people. So there are many financial ....
Thanks for your fine Article. Really great topic to write about on my Site. I probably set a bookmark from another Website.
It appears that you've placed lots of hard work into your post and I require a lot more of these on the net currently. I sincerely got a kick out of your post. I don't definitely have much to talk about responding, I only wished to comment to reply great work.
Hi I found your site by mistake when i was searching Google for this issue, I must say your site is really helpful I also love the design, its amazing!. I dont have that much time to read all your post at the moment but I have bookmarked it and also add your RSS feeds. I will be back in a day or two. thanks for a great site.
Lenen Zonder BKR Toetsing Lenen zonder BKR toetsing stijgt in populariteit op het Internet. Veel mensen met een zogeheten BKR notatie, die toch geld willen lenen zijn op zoek naar ...