Citation

No Author(s) Listed. IIHS Status Rep. 2007; 42(10): 4-5.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article discusses the equilibrium that must be met between restrictive safety restraints with no spoolout in crash conditions as opposed to those restraints that allow for restricted spooling. As belts are designed to limit movement in the event of a crash, the design of safety restraints is such that the belt will be held tightly to one's chest in the event of a crash. These belts, however, can cause damage to a passenger's chest due to sudden stops, which are common in automotive crashes. Conversely, if too much spooling is allowed in the event of a crash, the restraint begins to lose its primary function to restrict movement. A study cited herein explains that mortality rates are higher for those passengers in vehicles where there is no permitted spoolout by the safety restraint. It is also explained that the type of crash has bearing on the suitable belt tension. In frontal crashes, for example, spooling can be beneficial. However, in side crashes or frontal crashes with vehicle spin, this is a less desirable effect. The article recommends using four-point restraints rather than three.