Child safety on various bicycle-mounted seats during vehicle impact
Abstract
This research addresses an important gap in the state of the art by investigating the safety of vulnerable road users – children transported on bicycle seats. The article focuses on three forms of bicycle-mounted child seats and their kinematics during an accident scenario involving a motor vehicle. The front, rear-frame and rear-rack mounted child seat mounting configurations were considered in this study. The research covers the impact of a sports sedan vehicle against a bicycle equipped with the child seat. The assessment of the child safety was done through numerical simulations by coupling the codes of MADYMO and LS-DYNA. The after-impact kinematics for various baby carriers is presented with the emphasis on child’s head and neck injuries. The results were compared to the full-scale test available in the literature. The findings prove a low protection level for the child provided by the bicycle carriers in all considered cases. The study is further devoted to directions of increasing child safety in this means of transportation.
First published online 18 March 2019
Keyword : bicycle child seat, bicycle baby carrier, cyclist, accident reconstruction, road traffic safety, passive safety device, LS-DYNA, MADYMO
How to Cite
Ptak, M., Wilhelm, J., Sawicki, M., & Rusiński, E. (2019). Child safety on various bicycle-mounted seats during vehicle impact. Transport, 34(6), 684-691. https://doi.org/10.3846/transport.2019.9083
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
ADAC. 2008. ADAC-Test zum Kindertransport auf Fahrrädern. Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club (ADAC). Available from Internet: https://rp-online.de/leben/auto/ratgeber/adac-test-zum-kindertransport-auf-fahrraedern_bid-11565323 (in German).
Baranowski, P.; Damaziak, K.; Malachowski, J.; Mazurkiewicz, L.; Muszyński, A. 2015. A child seat numerical model validation in the static and dynamic work conditions, Archives of Civil and Mechanical Engineering 15(2): 361–375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acme.2014.07.001
Biernat, E.; Buchholtz, S.; Bartkiewicz, P. 2018. Motivations and barriers to bicycle commuting: lessons from Poland, Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour 55: 492–502. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2018.03.024
Bourdet, N.; Deck, C.; Serre, T.; Perrin, C.; Llari, M.; Willinger, R. 2014. In-depth real-world bicycle accident reconstructions, International Journal of Crashworthiness 19(3): 222–232. https://doi.org/10.1080/13588265.2013.805293
Cambridge University Engineering Department. 2003. Materials Data Book. Cambridge, UK. 41 p.
Crocetta, G.; Piantini, S.; Pierini, M.; Simms, C. 2015. The influence of vehicle front-end design on pedestrian ground impact, Accident Analysis & Prevention 79: 56–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2015.03.009
Fernandes, F. A. O. 2017. Biomechanical Analysis of Helmeted Head Impacts: Novel Materials and Geometries: PhD Thesis. University of Aveiro, Portugal. Available from Internet: https://ria.ua.pt/handle/10773/21227
Fernandes, F. A. O., Alves de Sousa, R. J., Ptak, M. 2018a. Application of numerical methods for accident reconstruction and forensic analysis, in Head Injury Simulation in Road Traffic Accidents, 59–98. http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89926-8_4
Fernandes, F. A. O.; Alves de Sousa, R. J.; Ptak, M. 2018b. Finite element head modelling and head injury predictors, in Head Injury Simulation in Road Traffic Accidents, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89926-8_1
Fernandes, F. A. O.; Alves de Sousa, R. J.; Ptak, M. 2018c. Head Injury Simulation in Road Traffic Accidents. Springer. 98 p. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89926-8
Jurecki, R.; Stańczyk, T.; Jaśkiewicz, M. 2017. Driver’s reaction time in a simulated, complex road incident, Transport 32(1): 44–54. https://doi.org/10.3846/16484142.2014.913535
King, A. I. 2018. Car-Pedestrian Impact, in The Biomechanics of Impact Injury: Biomechanical Response, Mechanisms of Injury, Human Tolerance and Simulation, 569–595. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49792-1_17
Kubiak, P.; Mierzejewska, P.; Szosland, A. 2018. A precise method of vehicle velocity determination based on measurements of car body deformation – non-linear method for the ‘Luxury’ vehicle class, International Journal of Crashworthiness 23(1): 100–107. https://doi.org/10.1080/13588265.2017.1328763
Küster, F. 2015. An EU Roadmap for Cycling. European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF). Available from Internet: https://ecf.com/groups/eu-roadmap-cycling
Lindman, M.; Jonsson, S.; Jakobsson, L.; Karlsson, T.; Gustafson, D.; Fredriksson, A. 2015. Cyclists interacting with passenger cars; a study of real world crashes, in 2015 IRCOBI Conference Proceedings, 9–11 September 2015, Lyon, France, 1–12. Available from Internet: http://www.ircobi.org/wordpress/downloads/irc15/pdf_files/10.pdf
Madymo TASS. 2013. Release Notes Manual, Release 7.5. Available from Internet: https://tass.plm.automation.siemens.com/madymo
MDVFS. 2008. Crash Analysis Criteria 2.1.1. Messdatenverarbeitung Fahrzeugsicherheit (MDVFS). 156 p. Available from Internet: http://mdvfs.org/download/crash-analysis-criteria-2-1-1
Milne, G.; Deck, C.; Bourdet, N.; Alline, Q.; Gallego, A.; Carreira, R.; Willinger, R. 2013. Assessment of bicyclist head injury risk under tangential impact conditions, in 2013 IRCOBI Conference Proceedings, 11–13 September 2013, Gothenburg, Sweden, 735–746. Available from Internet: http://www.ircobi.org/wordpress/downloads/irc13/pdf_files/90.pdf
Miyamoto, S.; Inoue, S. 2010. Reality and risk of contact-type head injuries related to bicycle-mounted child seats, Journal of Safety Research 41(6): 501–505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2010.10.004
Monea, A. G.; Van der Perre, G.; Baeck, K.; Delye, H.; Verschueren, P.; Forausebergher, E.; Van Lierde, C.; Verpoest, I.; Vander Sloten, J.; Goffin, J.; Depreitere, B. 2014. The relation between mechanical impact parameters and most frequent bicycle related head injuries, Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials 33: 3–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmbbm.2013.06.011
Nie, J.; Yang, J. 2014. A study of bicyclist kinematics and injuries based on reconstruction of passenger car–bicycle accident in China, Accident Analysis & Prevention 71: 50–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2014.04.021
Oxley, J.; O’Hern, S.; Raftery, S.; Woolley, J. 2016. How safe are children when transported by bicycle?, Traffic Injury Prevention 17: 163–167. https://doi.org/10.1080/15389588.2016.1199866
Peng, Y.; Chen, Y.; Yang, J.; Otte, D.; Willinger, R. 2012. A study of pedestrian and bicyclist exposure to head injury in passenger car collisions based on accident data and simulations, Safety Science 50(9): 1749–1759. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2012.03.005
Ptak, M. 2019. Pedestrian safety: a new method to assess pedestrian kinematics, Transport 34(1): 41–51. https://doi.org/10.3846/transport.2019.7081
Ptak, M.; Konarzewski, K. 2015. Numerical technologies for vulnerable road user safety enhancement, in A. Rocha, A. M. Correia, S. Costanzo, L. P. Reis (Eds.). New Contributions in Information Systems and Technologies 2: 355–364. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16528-8_33
Ptak, M.; Wilhelm, J.; Saunders, N. 2018. Safety analysis of a bicycle-mounted child seat, in 2018 XI International Science-Technical Conference Automotive Safety, 18–20 April 2018, Casta, Slovakia, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1109/AUTOSAFE.2018.8373316
Raftery, S. J.; Oxley, J.; Thompson, J.; Wundersitz, L. N. 2016. Transportation of Children with Bicycle Seats, Trailers, and other Carriers: Considerations for Safety. Report No CASR139. University of Adelaide, Australia. 54 p. Available from Internet: http://casr.adelaide.edu.au/publications/list/?id=1677
Raslavičius, L.; Bazaras, L.; Keršys, R. 2017. Accident reconstruction and assessment of cyclist’s injuries sustained in car-to-bicycle collision, Procedia Engineering 187: 562–569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2017.04.415
Ratajczak, M.; Sąsiadek, M.; Będziński, R. 2016. An analysis of the effect of impact loading on the destruction of vascular structures in the brain, Acta of Bioengineering and Biomechanics 18(3): 21–31. https://doi.org/10.5277/ABB-00552-2016-02
Rusiński, E.; Czmochowski, J.; Smolnicki, T. 2000. Zaawansowana metoda elementów skończonych w konstrukcjach nośnych. Oficyna wydawnicza Politechniki Wrocławskiej, 443 s. (in Polish).
Simms, C.; Wood, D. 2009. Pedestrian and Cyclist Impact: a Biomechanical Perspective. Springer. 230 p. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2743-6
Zander, O.; Gehring, D.-U.; Leßmann, P. 2013. Improved safety of bicyclists in the event of a collision with motor vehicles and during single accidents, in 23rd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV), 27–30 May 2013, Seoul, South Korea, 1–11.
Baranowski, P.; Damaziak, K.; Malachowski, J.; Mazurkiewicz, L.; Muszyński, A. 2015. A child seat numerical model validation in the static and dynamic work conditions, Archives of Civil and Mechanical Engineering 15(2): 361–375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acme.2014.07.001
Biernat, E.; Buchholtz, S.; Bartkiewicz, P. 2018. Motivations and barriers to bicycle commuting: lessons from Poland, Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour 55: 492–502. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2018.03.024
Bourdet, N.; Deck, C.; Serre, T.; Perrin, C.; Llari, M.; Willinger, R. 2014. In-depth real-world bicycle accident reconstructions, International Journal of Crashworthiness 19(3): 222–232. https://doi.org/10.1080/13588265.2013.805293
Cambridge University Engineering Department. 2003. Materials Data Book. Cambridge, UK. 41 p.
Crocetta, G.; Piantini, S.; Pierini, M.; Simms, C. 2015. The influence of vehicle front-end design on pedestrian ground impact, Accident Analysis & Prevention 79: 56–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2015.03.009
Fernandes, F. A. O. 2017. Biomechanical Analysis of Helmeted Head Impacts: Novel Materials and Geometries: PhD Thesis. University of Aveiro, Portugal. Available from Internet: https://ria.ua.pt/handle/10773/21227
Fernandes, F. A. O., Alves de Sousa, R. J., Ptak, M. 2018a. Application of numerical methods for accident reconstruction and forensic analysis, in Head Injury Simulation in Road Traffic Accidents, 59–98. http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89926-8_4
Fernandes, F. A. O.; Alves de Sousa, R. J.; Ptak, M. 2018b. Finite element head modelling and head injury predictors, in Head Injury Simulation in Road Traffic Accidents, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89926-8_1
Fernandes, F. A. O.; Alves de Sousa, R. J.; Ptak, M. 2018c. Head Injury Simulation in Road Traffic Accidents. Springer. 98 p. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89926-8
Jurecki, R.; Stańczyk, T.; Jaśkiewicz, M. 2017. Driver’s reaction time in a simulated, complex road incident, Transport 32(1): 44–54. https://doi.org/10.3846/16484142.2014.913535
King, A. I. 2018. Car-Pedestrian Impact, in The Biomechanics of Impact Injury: Biomechanical Response, Mechanisms of Injury, Human Tolerance and Simulation, 569–595. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49792-1_17
Kubiak, P.; Mierzejewska, P.; Szosland, A. 2018. A precise method of vehicle velocity determination based on measurements of car body deformation – non-linear method for the ‘Luxury’ vehicle class, International Journal of Crashworthiness 23(1): 100–107. https://doi.org/10.1080/13588265.2017.1328763
Küster, F. 2015. An EU Roadmap for Cycling. European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF). Available from Internet: https://ecf.com/groups/eu-roadmap-cycling
Lindman, M.; Jonsson, S.; Jakobsson, L.; Karlsson, T.; Gustafson, D.; Fredriksson, A. 2015. Cyclists interacting with passenger cars; a study of real world crashes, in 2015 IRCOBI Conference Proceedings, 9–11 September 2015, Lyon, France, 1–12. Available from Internet: http://www.ircobi.org/wordpress/downloads/irc15/pdf_files/10.pdf
Madymo TASS. 2013. Release Notes Manual, Release 7.5. Available from Internet: https://tass.plm.automation.siemens.com/madymo
MDVFS. 2008. Crash Analysis Criteria 2.1.1. Messdatenverarbeitung Fahrzeugsicherheit (MDVFS). 156 p. Available from Internet: http://mdvfs.org/download/crash-analysis-criteria-2-1-1
Milne, G.; Deck, C.; Bourdet, N.; Alline, Q.; Gallego, A.; Carreira, R.; Willinger, R. 2013. Assessment of bicyclist head injury risk under tangential impact conditions, in 2013 IRCOBI Conference Proceedings, 11–13 September 2013, Gothenburg, Sweden, 735–746. Available from Internet: http://www.ircobi.org/wordpress/downloads/irc13/pdf_files/90.pdf
Miyamoto, S.; Inoue, S. 2010. Reality and risk of contact-type head injuries related to bicycle-mounted child seats, Journal of Safety Research 41(6): 501–505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2010.10.004
Monea, A. G.; Van der Perre, G.; Baeck, K.; Delye, H.; Verschueren, P.; Forausebergher, E.; Van Lierde, C.; Verpoest, I.; Vander Sloten, J.; Goffin, J.; Depreitere, B. 2014. The relation between mechanical impact parameters and most frequent bicycle related head injuries, Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials 33: 3–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmbbm.2013.06.011
Nie, J.; Yang, J. 2014. A study of bicyclist kinematics and injuries based on reconstruction of passenger car–bicycle accident in China, Accident Analysis & Prevention 71: 50–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2014.04.021
Oxley, J.; O’Hern, S.; Raftery, S.; Woolley, J. 2016. How safe are children when transported by bicycle?, Traffic Injury Prevention 17: 163–167. https://doi.org/10.1080/15389588.2016.1199866
Peng, Y.; Chen, Y.; Yang, J.; Otte, D.; Willinger, R. 2012. A study of pedestrian and bicyclist exposure to head injury in passenger car collisions based on accident data and simulations, Safety Science 50(9): 1749–1759. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2012.03.005
Ptak, M. 2019. Pedestrian safety: a new method to assess pedestrian kinematics, Transport 34(1): 41–51. https://doi.org/10.3846/transport.2019.7081
Ptak, M.; Konarzewski, K. 2015. Numerical technologies for vulnerable road user safety enhancement, in A. Rocha, A. M. Correia, S. Costanzo, L. P. Reis (Eds.). New Contributions in Information Systems and Technologies 2: 355–364. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16528-8_33
Ptak, M.; Wilhelm, J.; Saunders, N. 2018. Safety analysis of a bicycle-mounted child seat, in 2018 XI International Science-Technical Conference Automotive Safety, 18–20 April 2018, Casta, Slovakia, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1109/AUTOSAFE.2018.8373316
Raftery, S. J.; Oxley, J.; Thompson, J.; Wundersitz, L. N. 2016. Transportation of Children with Bicycle Seats, Trailers, and other Carriers: Considerations for Safety. Report No CASR139. University of Adelaide, Australia. 54 p. Available from Internet: http://casr.adelaide.edu.au/publications/list/?id=1677
Raslavičius, L.; Bazaras, L.; Keršys, R. 2017. Accident reconstruction and assessment of cyclist’s injuries sustained in car-to-bicycle collision, Procedia Engineering 187: 562–569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2017.04.415
Ratajczak, M.; Sąsiadek, M.; Będziński, R. 2016. An analysis of the effect of impact loading on the destruction of vascular structures in the brain, Acta of Bioengineering and Biomechanics 18(3): 21–31. https://doi.org/10.5277/ABB-00552-2016-02
Rusiński, E.; Czmochowski, J.; Smolnicki, T. 2000. Zaawansowana metoda elementów skończonych w konstrukcjach nośnych. Oficyna wydawnicza Politechniki Wrocławskiej, 443 s. (in Polish).
Simms, C.; Wood, D. 2009. Pedestrian and Cyclist Impact: a Biomechanical Perspective. Springer. 230 p. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2743-6
Zander, O.; Gehring, D.-U.; Leßmann, P. 2013. Improved safety of bicyclists in the event of a collision with motor vehicles and during single accidents, in 23rd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV), 27–30 May 2013, Seoul, South Korea, 1–11.