Minivans, side-impacts and the 2nd row bench seats.

unityco · Nov 1, 2009

This has been bugging me for a while, and I wondering what other people think (or if any data on the matter is available.)

In our '99 Caravan, the centre-ish/passenger position for the second row's seat belt is attached to wall of the vehicle - rather far from the actual seat (the seat is not close to the door - there's a gap to allow people to access the third row.) It seems to me, if you were to be t-boned on the driver's side, that anyone in that seat would be thrown out of it - unless you have the armrest down (and I'm not sure how much force that armrest is meant to take.) That seat belt's position would not protect the passenger from sliding off the bench towards the passenger side.

Do you know what I mean?

What are your thoughts?

Maedze · Nov 1, 2009

The lap belt will still hold the person on the bench. The shoulder belt isn't designed to hold people in, in a side impact. It's designed to reduce head excursion in a front impact.

unityco · Nov 1, 2009

Maedze said:
The lap belt will still hold the person on the bench. The shoulder belt isn't designed to hold people in, in a side impact. It's designed to reduce head excursion in a front impact.

But the lap belt is anchored at the vehicle wall too - it does not route in a way that would prevent a person from sliding right.

Defrost · Nov 1, 2009

It would still lock and hold the person down. I agree it's probably not going to work as well as a seat belt that doesn't have that gap, though.

When we got teed in our Astro van, one of the things that completely shocked me was how much I moved before the seat belt locked - I definitely can see now why car seats must be locked and tight! Seriously, I was airborne there for a split second before the seat belt locked and slammed me back down into my seat (and I was so, so very grateful for that seat belt - that feeling of being thrown towards my door window with absolutely no control over my body was terrifying!)

I think in your case, if the seat belt weren't locked beforehand (doesn't it have locking latchplates?) the person might slide partly off the seat, but not completely.

Maedze · Nov 1, 2009

Oh, weird. Huh.

safeinthecar · Nov 1, 2009

Well first off, you get thrown towards the point of impact, not away from it, so it would be a side impact on the passenger side that would be the problem, not the driver's side. OK crash-dynamic's 101 dismissed,

I agree with you 100%. I had a '96 Grand Caravan with bench seats and no matter how tightly I installed most car seats in the right hand second row seat I could pull it right off the bench with minimal effort. I only felt comfortable with a seat that installed LBP and tethered or a tethered rfing Britax with lockoffs in that spot.

unityco · Nov 1, 2009

safeinthecar said:
Well first off, you get thrown towards the point of impact, not away from it, so it would be a side impact on the passenger side that would be the problem, not the driver's side. OK crash-dynamic's 101 dismissed,

You know, I always get that backwards (and even knowing that I always get it backwards doesn't help me get it straight, lol.

)

safeinthecar · Nov 1, 2009

unityco said:
You know, I always get that backwards (and even knowing that I always get it backwards doesn't help me get it straight, lol. )

Just remember, "In a crash, you are heading TOWARDS disaster"

Minivans, side-impacts and the 2nd row bench seats.

unityco

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