Adjustable Booster Child Restraint System to Enhance Safety

Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for children between the ages of 3 to 14 years old. Everyday, an average of 4 children are killed and 490 children are injured during automotive accidents in United States. The lack of safety standards for "booster" children (50 lbs+) is an issue that needs to be addressed. Our goal was to improve current child seat designs on the market by designing an adjustable restraint seat system. The Graco Nautilus (TM) seat was altered to apply our designs to develop a prototype. Modifications were integrated to the seat; an ISOFix system, seatbelt guides, a retractable harness, and adjustable head/shoulder rests. These features are essential for optimal safety. SolidWorks 2009 and HyperWorks 10.0v were used for prototype designing. The simulation testing generated data analogous to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 (FMVSS 213) and was compared to child restraint system scores for the younger age range. Ultimately, our improved child restraint system will provide greater protection may potentially upgrade child safety standards.