Disturbing RF crashtest videos

khanbulgarski

New member
Just see it.



[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBOAKp6MAec&feature=related"]Volvo - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uus4DiB6Uek&feature=related"]Besafe - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22biaqn_N54&feature=related"]Brio - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8YHKFOcBSs&feature=related"]AktaCosmic - YouTube[/ame]

That is very disturbing. I guess we shouldn't speculate whether to lean the seat against dash/front seat. After seeing those videos I believe it should be mandatory. I wonder if they crash the seats with higher speeds?
 
ADS

mykidsmylife

Well-known member
The only one that was disturbing to me was the last one and only because the seatbelt came undone or was never done or not buckled properly. All the others did just what they should have and moved with the child. Not sure what is disturbing.
I personally okay with bracing to the dash with no airbag but I also have no issues with a rear facing seat with no bracing.
 

khanbulgarski

New member
The only one that was disturbing to me was the last one and only because the seatbelt came undone or was never done or not buckled properly. All the others did just what they should have and moved with the child. Not sure what is disturbing.
I personally okay with bracing to the dash with no airbag but I also have no issues with a rear facing seat with no bracing.

Well, the disturbing thing to me is how the seats bend or brake- this is not a good following of the crash pulse. The unchecked movement of the seats means less time for run down and greater loads on the child. The seat should be leaned against the dash/seat in order to move very little forward and allow the child to follow the pulse better.
 

Shanora

Well-known member
I'm with MyKids, the last video is disturbing, but the other ones look like they preformed as they should. I'm ok with bracing on a properly installed seat that allows for bracing.
 

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
That is very disturbing. I guess we shouldn't speculate whether to lean the seat against dash/front seat. After seeing those videos I believe it should be mandatory.

It absolutely should not be mandatory. Bracing a RFing seat against the dash when there are airbags can be fatal, and bracing against the front seats with advanced airbags can be dangerous to the front seat occupant. Making bracing mandatory would make seats incompatible with a large percentage of North American vehicles.
 

Shanora

Well-known member
I think that is the difference between North American Seats and car seats over seas. There tends to be more seats that have additional bracing features (Rear-facing Foots and bracing encouraged), where as here, there are only 2 seats that allow them to be braced, and you have to be very careful, because vehicle manufactures are putting air bag sensors now in the back of the seats and pressing on them will shut off the air bags.
 

khanbulgarski

New member
It absolutely should not be mandatory. Bracing a RFing seat against the dash when there are airbags can be fatal, and bracing against the front seats with advanced airbags can be dangerous to the front seat occupant. Making bracing mandatory would make seats incompatible with a large percentage of North American vehicles.

If I am to pay the price, by reducing my safety as a passenger, but I am able to protect my child better I'd do it gladly. These seats are European and to my knowledge there are no such requirements here. There should not be a comparison between European seats and American cars. And of course the frontal airbag should be switched off.
 
Last edited:

carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants
Of course the frontal airbag should be switched off. If I am to pay the price, by reducing my safety as a passenger, but I am able to protect my child better I'd do it gladly. These seats are European and to my knowledge there are no such requirements here. There should not be a comparison between European seats and American cars.

That's your choice. It might be my choice too. But it shouldn't be law.
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
I'm not disturbed by those middle two at all. The child stays well contained in the seat.

I couldn't get the first one to load. That last one was awful, but clearly something went wrong. It could have been a misuse test or some other kind of failure (belt, seat). No guarantee that the kid (and seat) wouldn't have flown out the windshield if it had been braced in the front seat.
 

khanbulgarski

New member
Here is another one:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBixQJq4gnc&list=UUIUE4bEOso7sCGkos0T7b_w&index=6&feature=plcp"]AktaDuo - YouTube[/ame]

and below I think is the same seat against the dashboard

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKIeExpDLDA"]Crash Test - Forward vs. Rear Facing - YouTube[/ame]

it is a huge difference. I don't recall ever seeing a video of a pressed against dash child seat performing badly. Of course some of those seats are never meant to be used free standing but for the others, if they are not braced, you'd expect the footprop to do its work without a problem and without braking. So, for me bracing is the only option alongside the footprop.
 

tam_shops

New member
While there is a problem w/ that last one on the test bench, there wouldn't be room in a *real* car for it to flip like that, it'd hit up against the front seats or dash before it could flip like that.

It is interesting that there is so much movement in all of them, I'd expect a good fitting belt to hold the seats in place more. Though maybe, in some ways movement may help eliminate some of the impact on the child?

tam
 

Pixels

New member
Excepting the fourth one, where there was an obvious failure of some sort, all those seats looked fine. Even the one that laid back pretty far, I don't think it exceeded the maximum which is 70 degrees, nearly horizontal.

What really matters is what the sensors in the dummies measured. The seat might look "good" to you or me or anyone else, but if the injury values are too high, then it's not a good seat. A video alone does not give us anywhere near the amount of information we need to make such a judgement.
 

jess71903

Ambassador
Without knowing more, I can't make a judgment on any of those videos. They may have been done at 70mph or involved one misuse or another. Even that last one might be a wonderful thing given extreme conditions.
 

equilibrium

New member
With the exception of the bottom video (looks definitely like a failure of some sort)-I am quite happy with the results of the first videos. That is exactly what I want to happen if my child was in the restraint. I see their neck and spine protected. No appearance of snapping necks, body flipping over backwards, etc. The seat acts as a shell or cushion around the child's major bones and organs. Not once did I see the test dummy's head appear to come out of the seat, etc.
 

snowbird25ca

Moderator - CPST Instructor
I'm in agreement with everyone that with the exception of the obvious failure of the last one, there appears to be nothing abnormal about the videos. Movement is normal in a rf'ing seat, and it is partially that movement which allows a child the extra "ride down" time to reduce the forces actually transferred to him in a collision.

Of note, North American seats are required to pass the downward rotation standard without the aid of a foot prop which makes our standard a bit harder to pass. The foot prop bending in that first video makes me question just how much difference they make actually.

tam_shops;2119749 It is interesting that there is so much movement in all of them said:
Vehicle seats compress, and seatbelts stretch. There is going to be movement of a seat in a collision - a lot of movement. And if that movement is in a controlled fashion - such as the case of a rf'ing seat which is supporting the child during the biggest force transfer of a collision, then it's not a bad thing.

People who have never seen crash test videos before are often disturbed by the images and just how much the seat moves. To them, it appears as if the seat isn't doing it's job - but it's just how they move. Seatbelts in vehicles are designed to stretch because it allows the occupant more time to stop. Same with the webbing of harness straps in a child restraint, the top tether, and the UAS belts. The higher the speed/force of the collision, the more stretch there is going to be. (Which is one reason why an untrained eye is unable to tell whether a seat was properly installed prior to a collision. If you aren't aware of the degree of stretch possible, you may say a seat was installed too loosely when it was actually a case of the webbing stretching due to the forces of the collision. Same thing with harness tightness.)
 

Baylor

New member
Now I am no expert do this is just from what I have learned here.

The first 3 to me seem okay to me. I was watching the child and except for the third one the torso head of the child seemed held in the seat and protected. The 4 th one is scary. But it looked to me like it came unattached somehow??

Are these US seats or Canadian seats?

auto-correct on the loose..
 

selinajean

New member
I don't think that it's fair to compare that last set of 2 videos either. The seat may be the same but that is the only thing that we know to be the same. There are way too many other variables to make an accurate comparison. We don't know all of the other crash test factors so saying that the seat is safer in the front vs the back is really not a fair or accurate statement after just looking at the video.
 

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Forum statistics

Threads
219,655
Messages
2,196,895
Members
13,530
Latest member
onehitko860

You must read your carseat and vehicle owner’s manual and understand any relevant state laws. These are the rules you must follow to restrain your children safely. All opinions at Car-Seat.Org are those of the individual author for informational purposes only, and do not necessarily reflect any policy or position of Carseat Media LLC. Car-Seat.Org makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. If you are unsure about information provided to you, please visit a local certified technician. Before posting or using our website you must read and agree to our TERMS.

Graco is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Britax is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Nuna Baby is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org!

Please  Support Car-Seat.Org  with your purchases of infant, convertible, combination and boosters seats from our premier sponsors above.
Shop travel systems, strollers and baby gear from Britax, Chicco, Clek, Combi, Evenflo, First Years, Graco, Maxi-Cosi, Nuna, Safety 1st, Diono & more! ©2001-2022 Carseat Media LLC

Top