EVALUATION OF RESTRAINTS EFFECTIVENESS IN SIMULATED ROLLOVER CONDITIONS. IN: OCCUPANT AND VEHICLE RESPONSES IN ROLLOVERS

In this chapter, from a comprehensive text about occupant and vehicle responses in rollovers, the authors report on a series of tests that were conducted to determine the effectiveness of belt restraints in reducing occupant excursion in rollover crashes. A typical 3-point lap and shoulder belt configuration was tested as the baseline restraint. This baseline was then compared to an inflatable tubular torso restraint (ITTR) to determine how well excursion could be reduced over current belt systems in a simulated rollover. The researchers used the rollover restraints tester (RRT) to simulate rollover conditions and to evaluate the effectiveness of restraints to prevent occupant head excursion. Results showed that vertical head excursion of a 50th percentile H-III male dummy was reduced by as much as 75% with the inflatable restraint. The authors also comment on the fit of the shoulder belt, noting the importance of the D-ring adjustment position.