Teenage Activities and Postures when Passengers in a Vehicle Environment
Paper in proceeding, 2021

An observational investigation was first conducted to identify the common activities of teenage occupants in a vehicle environment. These included playing or texting on a cell phone, grabbing objects in a schoolbag positioned in the footwell, applying make-up while looking in the visor mirror (female), texting with legs crossed (male), looking down at an object, reaching for objects, and changing the radio. These activities were simulated in a static user study. The back of the head-to-head restraint anterior surface was 2.1 ± 2.7 cm for male volunteers and 3.5 ± 2.2 cm for female volunteers while normally seated. In comparison to when normally seated, the head moved 8.0 ± 3.8 cm and 4.3 ± 2.8 cm respectively when the volunteers were interacting with a cell phone. The back of the head-to-head restraint anterior surface was 59.4 ± 5.9 cm for the male volunteers and 55.8 ± 5.1 cm for the female volunteers when grabbing a book in the footwell area. The results were, however, similar (65.7% ±.8.0% v 65.9% ±.6.4%) when normalized by seated height. The head rotated 27.2 ± 14.7 deg in males and 19.1 ± 8.9 deg by females when playing a game on the cell phone. The results of this study highlight the increase in head-to-head restraint and head rotation during common activities conducted by teenagers when riding in the front-seat.

passenger

observations

out-of-position

posture

Teenager

Author

Chantal S. Parenteau

Exponent Inc

Christopher Andrecovich

Exponent Inc

Sarah Sherman

Exponent Inc

Mats Svensson

Chalmers, Mechanics and Maritime Sciences (M2), Vehicle Safety

Conference proceedings International Research Council on the Biomechanics of Injury, IRCOBI

22353151 (ISSN)

669-694 IRC-21-74

IRCOBI
online, ,

Areas of Advance

Transport

Subject Categories

Vehicle Engineering

More information

Latest update

1/3/2024 9