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Under The Microscope: Children In Vehicles

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Obraz
Children in vehicles. This is a particular problem with several aspects. Many countries have brought in laws to protect children in cars because of their special vulnerability First, it is an understandable, but highly dangerous, indulgence for adults to allow small children to travel unrestrained in the front seat of a car. Some parents even allow them to stand gripping the fascia edge immediately below the windscreen, an invitation to facial and eye damage even in minor accidents. The seating of a child on the mother's lap is hazardous, as on violent deceleration either mother and child pitch against the windscreen - or the child flies out of the arms of a belt-restrained mother. The close proximity to the fascia and windscreen causes many deaths and facial injuries, especially to the eyes. Adult secured seatbelts will not properly accommodate a child (or even a small adult), because the fixation point on the door pillar is too high even if the straps can be short- ened sufficien...
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Under The Microscope: THE DRIVER

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Obraz
  Numerous investigations have been made by road research organizations and car manufacturers using dummies and actual corpses, together with sophisticated recording equipment and high-speed cinematography. These have establisheda detailed picture of the sequence of events in automobilecrashes. When the most common event  -  frontal impact  -  occurs, the unrestrained driver first slides forwards so that his legs strike the fascialparcel-shelf area, and his abdomen or lower chest contacts the lower edge of the steering wheel. The body then flexes across the steering wheel and begins to rise. The heavy head goes forwards, and there is flexion of the cervical and thoracic spines. The upward and forward component causes the head to strike the windscreen, the upper windscreen rim or the side pillar. The windscreen is often perforated by the head or face, and the whole body may be ejected through the broken glass, to land on the bonnet or even on the roadway ahead. A...
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Under The Microscope: CRASH &'CRUMPLE'

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Obraz
  Injuries and fatalities occur in all forms of transportation but numerically road traffic accidents account for the great majority worldwide. In developed countries, they are the most common cause of death below the age of 50 years, and in young men this trend is even more marked. The pattern of injury, fatal and otherwise, varies considerably depending upon whether the victim is a vehicle occupant, a motorcyclist, a pedal cyclist or a pedestrian.     A number of elementary physical facts help to explain the complex pattern of traffic injuries, especially those sus- tained by the occupants of a vehicle.    o     Tissue injury is caused by a change of rate of movement. A constant speed, however rapid, has no effect whatsoever as is evident from space travel or the rotation of the earth. It is the change of rate that is traumatic - that is, acceleration or deceleration.  o     Change of rate is conveniently measured in 'graviti...
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