Injury risk of a 6-year-old wheelchair-seated occupant in a frontal motor vehicle impact—‘ANSI/RESNA WC-19’ sled testing analysis

Children with disabilities are transported on a daily basis to schools and developmental facilities. When they travel, they often remain seated in their wheelchairs in vehicles. To study injury risk of pediatric wheelchair users in motor vehicle crashes, three of the same pediatric manual wheelchairs were sled impact tested with a seated Hybrid III 6-year-old ATD using a 20 g/48 km/h frontal crash pulse. The sled test results were compared to kinematic limitations and injury criteria specified in the ANSI/RESNA WC-19, FMVSS 213 and FMVSS 208. All sled test results were below the limits specified in the ANSI/RESNA WC-19 standard and FMVSS 213. All tests exceeded the Nij limit of 1 specified in FMVSS 208, and one test exceeded the limit of peak neck tension force. Chest deflection resulting from one of three tests was at the limit specified in FMVSS 208. Our results suggest that children with disabilities who remain seated in their wheelchairs in vehicles may be at risk of neck injury in a frontal impact motor vehicle crash. However, limitations in the biofidelity of the Hybrid III ATD neck raise concern as to the translatability of these findings to the real world. Additional studies are needed to investigate the influence of neck properties and ATD neck biofidelity on injury risk of children who travel seated in their wheelchairs.