Researchers at Neuroscience Research Australia’s (NeuRA) Transurban Road Safety Center have developed a lumbar spine prototype that more accurately mimics the spine of a small adult, about the size of a 12-year-old girl.

Previously, researchers could not accurately study the specific injury risks in small occupants because the lumbar spine of the existing crash test dummy was too stiff for smaller adults.

Small adult women and older child occupants are at greater risk of abdominal injuries in a crash due to poor seat belt fit, and the abdomen is the most vulnerable part of the body after the head. These injuries are caused by ‘submarining’.

The new spinal prototype, modeled after how real human spines move and respond to forces, was installed in a crash test dummy for testing in four different seating positions.

The crash tests showed that the dummy equipped with the prototype backbone submerged under expected submarine conditions. In tests using the original backbone, no submergence occurred.

This new “extra-flexible” lumbar spine may allow for more accurate assessment of submarine-related injuries and could inform automakers’ future design of safer car seats. It could also help regulators and consumer crash-test programs better assess the safety performance of vehicles for all types of occupants.

Safety tips for smaller adults and older children

• Adults: Always sit upright in your seat, as slouching can increase the risk of submarine and abdominal and lower back injuries in a crash. And check out these tips for seat belt fitting.
• Children: Allow children to sit in the booster seats until they can properly fasten the seat belt. Every vehicle is different, so use the five-step safety test to check if a booster seat is needed in whatever car your child travels.

Read more about our collaboration with NeuRA.