PROTECTING OCCUPANTS

MODULE 8-3PHED 241

Lindsay Surber

Content Occupant Protection

Adult Drivers & Passengers Children & Youth Passengers

Seat Belt Safety Air Bag Safety

Head Restraints SOL DE.14

The student will demonstrate an understanding of the proper use of vehicle occupant-protection features and analyze how they reduce injury severity and increase

collision survival. Key concepts/skills includeactive restraint systems;

passive restraint systems;child restraint systems;

Highway safety design.

“Occupant Protection”

When most of us hear this term we think of seat belts & airbags.

Today the term is much more inclusive incorporating the technological advances and vehicle response capabilities in the event of a crash.

Safety Restraints for Adults

Seat Belts should be positioned so that the lap belt comes across your pelvis & the shoulder strap comes across your collar bone and diagonally across your chest.

Proper fit helps to avoid internal and rib cage injuries.

Adjust seat belt post mounting according to your height.

Check frequently for a snug fit.

Seat Belt Locking Devices:

Most modern seat belts are stowed on spring-loaded reels called retractors equipped with inertial locking mechanisms that stop the belt from extending off the reel during severe deceleration.

To help reduce risk of injury if involved in an accident:

Keep seat back upright to avoid submarine effect.

Make sure seat belt fits snug to reduce movement & is positioned correctly .

Wear seat belts correctly at all times.**

Make sure seat belt locking devices are working correctly.

Safety Restraints for Youth

Children are safest if seated in back seat.

Birth-20 lbs = Rear facing infant seat

20-40 lbs = Front facing child seat

40-60 lbs = Booster Seat

Safety Restraints Protect

Against Ejection from vehicle

Against Fire & Water Immersion

Protects Children from Impact

Protects Occupants at Point of Impact

Air Bags Don’t Always Deploy…Which is Why You Should Buckle Up!

Never place a rear facing child seat in the front of a vehicle equipped with

passenger side airbags! Never hold a child on your lap while

traveling! Always make sure child seats are secured!

Airbag Safety Drivers should sit 10 inches away

from the steering wheel. Raise seat or tilt steering wheel to

direct air bag towards chest not face.

Hand position should be at 9 & 3 or lower.

Avoid 10 & 2 for burn prevention. No passengers under 12 in front

seat!

In the Blink of an Eye…

Blink your eyes. That’s how fast a front air bag inflates – in less than 1/20th of a second.

Air bags literally erupt from their storage place at up to 200 mph.

Because air bags deploy so quickly, serious or sometimes fatal injuries can occur if the occupant is too close to it when it deploys, especially children, seniors and those with disabilities.

Sourcehttp://www.nmeda.com/safety-tips

Newer car models are available with many new air bag safety

features: Side Air Bags

Curtain Air Bags

Surround Air Bags

Tube Air Bags

Seat Belt Air Bags

Side Impact Protection Air Bags

Located in: Upper door

frame Near the seat

edge In the door

panel

Try to never lean against the door – maintain a 10 inch distance from all air bags.

Head Restraints Proper Adjustment helps avoid

neck injury Can protect you and your

passengers from whiplash injuries and potentially a broken neck or death.

To Correctly Position Headrests:

1. Sit back in your seat in your normal posture, not leaning forwards.

2. Ensure your seat is reasonably upright, not angled too far back.

3. Adjust your head restraint, making it as close as possible to the back of your head, preferably touching but no more 2-3 inches away.

4. Make sure that the top of your head restraint is no lower than the top of head.

Whiplash

Whiplash is caused when a vehicle occupant is thrown forward suddenly in an impact.

If the occupant’s head is not properly supported by a head restraint, their head will not accelerate forward as quickly as their

torso.

This lag causes the neck to deform into an ‘S’ shape.

The neck will then begin to bend backwards (the extension phase), as the head begins to catch up with the accelerating torso.

  If an occupant’s head restraint is positioned too low down, a

‘hyperextension phase ‘ occurs, where the occupant’s head and neck are bent back over the top of the head restraint.

Whiplash Whiplash is responsible for 250,000

personal injury claims every year.

Although officially classed as a minor injury, it can lead to long painful and debilitating symptoms for many years

following a crash.

Whiplash is common in frontal and side crashes, but occurs most frequently in

low-speed, rear impact crashes.

Symptoms of Whiplash

Symptoms of whiplash may be delayed for 24 hours or more after the initial trauma. People who experience whiplash may develop one or more of the following symptoms, usually within the first few days after the injury.Neck pain and stiffnessHeadachesPain in the shoulder or between the shoulder bladesLow back painPain or numbness in the arm and/or handDizzinessRinging in the ears or blurred visionDifficulty concentrating or rememberingIrritability, sleep disturbances, fatigue

Occupant Collision

All crashes have two separate collisions.

The first is the vehicle collision.

The second is the collision of occupants inside the vehicle.

It is this second collision that often causes injury and death.

Make certain all items being transported are secured.

Example- AC unit

Buckle Up!! Approximately 35,000 people die in

motor vehicle crashes each year. About 50 percent (17,000) of these people could be saved if they wore their safety belts.

More than 90 percent of all motorists believe safety belts are good idea, but less than 14 percent actually use them.

In a 30 m.p.h. collision an unbelted 160 lb. Person can strike another passenger, crash through a windshield and/or slam into the vehicle's interior with a 4,800 lb. force.

A common cause of death and injury to children in motor vehicles is being crushed by adults who are not wearing safety belts. One out of four serious injuries to passengers is caused by occupants being thrown into each other.

Of every 100 children who die in motor vehicle crashes at least 80 would survive if they were properly secured in an approved child safety seat or safety belts.

VA State Law

Virginia law requires seat belt use for drivers and front seat passengers 18 years of age and older, and ALL passengers younger than 18.

It is the driver’s responsibility to make sure that all passengers in the vehicle are properly buckled up whether they are in the front seat or the back.

Don’t Forget Your Pet!

Pet safety harnesses keep not only your pet safe but you as well.

In the event of a crash, harness will keep pet from being thrown out of the vehicle.

Sources

http://www.jmu.edu/safetyplan/vehicle/generaldriver/safetybelt.shtml

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/instruction/driver_education/curriculum_admin_guide/module08.pdf

http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/safety/programs/seatbelts/index.asp

Please be safe & Buckle Up EVERY time!!