Analysis of the kinematics of pregnant drivers during low-speed frontal vehicle collisions

Abstract

The authors conducted low-speed frontal sled tests using a dummy to represent the anthropometry of a pregnant woman at the gestational age of 30 weeks. The authors determined the seating position of the dummy from anthropometric values obtained from pregnant women with similar dimensions as the dummy. The kinematics of the dummy, such as pressure on the abdomen during impact, were analysed and compared with those of rear-end collisions. Secondary contact with the steering wheel occurred in all tests. Wearing a seat belt reduced peak pressure on the abdomen by 50% and prevented the face of the dummy contacting the steering wheel during low-speed frontal collisions. These findings indicate that wearing a seat belt protects pregnant drivers during traffic accidents.