DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFLATABLE RESTRAINT SYSTEM FOR HANDI- CAPPED AND THE ELDERLY

IT IS A UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED FACT THAT THE PROPER USE OF WELL DESIGNED RESTRAINT SYSTEMS CAN SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASE THE RISK OF DEATH AND SERIOUS INJURY IN MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES INVOLVING DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS THAT ARE IN A RE- ABLE STATE OF HEALTH, PHYSIOLOGICAL WELL BEING , AND MENTAL CAPABILITY. HOW- EVER, THERE EXISTS A LARGE, AND GROWING POPULATION OF AUTO- MOBILE, VAN AND BUS OCCUPANTS THAT ARE VIRTUALLY UNRES- TRAINED IN THE CURRENT TRANSPORTATION EVNIRONMENT. THESE INCLUDE PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY HANDICAPPED CHILDREN AND ADULTS, VAN DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS WHO ARE CONFINED TO WHEELCHAIRS, AND AMBULATORY ELDERLY PERSONS WHO ARE PHYSICALLY FRAGILE. THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE NEED FOR OCCUPANT PROTEC-TION SYSTEMS FOR THIS POPULATION. WE PROPOSE TO DESIGN REASONABLE COST ADD-ON AND RETROFIT RESTRAINT SYSTEMS TO FULFILL THIS NEED. THESE RESTRAINT SYSTEMS WILL BE INFL TABLE AND WILL CONFORM TO THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION CRITER-OF FMUSS 209 AND 210 AND WILL BE DYNAMICALLY TESTED TO FMUSSREQUIREMENTS.