Child restraint systems: Problems related to the safety of children transported in booster seats (without integral safety belts)

To reduce the risk of injury in the result of a road accident to children travelling by cars many factors should be considered before installing a child's restraint system such as weight, height and method of installing the system. Experimental tests were carried out using child dummies (anthropomorphic test device ATD) under simulated conditions of real road conditions to understand the impact on both the dynamics and kinematics of the system involved. The dynamic tests where the likely child body's behaviour during a road accident was represented were carried out in two different versions; in the tests, anthropomorphic test device with a mass of 22 kg and 32 kg were used. The dummies were seated on booster cushions. In two tests, the likely child body's behaviour was represented for the safety belt having been correctly fastened. In another two tests, a situation was arranged that the shoulder belt part was situated behind child's back, in result of which the child's body was only restrained by the lap belt part during the accident. The results of the tests carried out with the safety belt straps being incorrectly placed have shown that the said incorrect use of safety belts may cause a greater hazard for child's safety. At the same time, for the child restraint systems to be used, the vehicle user should have elementary knowledge of the functioning of safety belts and child restraint systems.