Seat belts in vehicles were required by law nearly 40 years ago. Since then, seat belts have helped save countless lives.
Today, there are more than 36 million drivers in the U.S. over the age of 65. That number is expected to increase to more than 60 million by 2030.
Researchers are revisiting seat belt designs in an effort to better protect older drivers.
Dummies
In designing seat belts, researchers used safety dummies in car crash simulations that represented the “average’ driver.” Years ago, the average driver was considered to be an average-size male driver of 40 years old and weighing approximately 170 lbs, says John Bolte, PhD, associate professor of health and rehabilitation sciences, Ohio State University College of Medicine.
“The size and demographics of American drivers has certainly changed, but the basic seat belt designs haven’t and we need to address that,” he notes.
Today, with advanced technology, instrumentation and imaging, researchers know a lot more about the human body and its bones, as well as how they respond to crashes than they did 20 years ago. Yet, researchers point out, the biggest obstacle that remains is human variation.
Age isn’t the best predictor of how someone responds to injury, Bolte says. We need to move the field away from age and into something more scientifically based to better predict how much impact is associated with certain injuries.
Fragile Population
Researchers and industry partners are conducting newly designed simulations using smaller crash test dummies that are a better representation of the fragile baby boomer population. While measuring impact, the researchers and industry partners also document position and properties of the upper body to better predict appropriate protection for elderly drivers.
The objective is to help develop the next generation of seat belts, primarily because the very systems that are supposed to protect drivers are actually contributing to their injuries. Even in minor accidents, ill-fitting belts can cause everything from fractured ribs to chest trauma to a broken pelvis.
To a young driver, some injuries sustained during vehicle crashes won’t always be critical, Bolte observes. However, for an elderly driver, fractured ribs or a broken pelvis can quickly become life threatening.
Studies show that in serious crashes, drivers over the age of 65 wear seat belts more than any other age group. However, because they are more fragile, their chances of survival are lower.
Researchers say that one day, individuals will have a personalized car key fob that activates a customized safety system within their vehicles and adjusts the seat belt based on their individual physiology.
Isn’t science something?