Michael Paine | The University of Sydney (original) (raw)

Papers by Michael Paine

24th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2015

In 1999 the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) aligned its test and assessment proto... more In 1999 the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) aligned its test and assessment protocols with Euro NCAP and began issuing safety ratings, with a maximum rating of 5 stars. In effect, to achieve 5 stars, the vehicle needed good frontal offset crash test performance and good head protection in intrusive side impacts. The rating system awards bonus points for intelligent seat belt reminders and, recently, requires certain safety features such electronic stability control (ESC) and emergency brake assist (EBA). The proportion of models achieving a 5-star safety rating has gradually increased from zero in 2002 to an estimated 75% of models on sale in 2014. This paper presents an analysis of trends with safety ratings and the uptake of key safety features during this period. This paper also provides estimates of future savings due to the penetration of 5-star vehicles into the Australian vehicle fleet.

24th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2015

20th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2007

... Julie Brown Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, UNSW Michael Paine David Paine Vehicl... more ... Julie Brown Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, UNSW Michael Paine David Paine Vehicle Design & Research Paul Kelly Michael Griffiths Nimmi ... Booster seats aim to improve the fit of the adult lap sash belt and their performance, particularly in frontal impact, should be ...

23rd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2013

Since 1995 the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has conducted a 64km/h offset cras... more Since 1995 the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has conducted a 64km/h offset crash test. In 1999 the test and rating protocols were aligned with European New Car Assessment Programme (EuroNCAP). This produces a rating out of 5 stars for front occupant (driver and front passenger) protection. In a separate program the crashworthiness of used cars in real-world crashes has been analysed under the Used Car Safety Rating (UCSR) scheme. The ANCAP and UCSR ratings of more than 30 models on the Australian market can be tracked for more than a decade. This paper sets out the results of an analysis of these data and observations about the safety improvements to these models. In general an improvement of one ANCAP star rating for a model is associated with a 20 to 25% reduction in risk of serious injury to the driver. It is likely that improvements from 3 stars or less to 4 stars are mostly associated with improved structure and restraints in frontal crashes. Improvements from 4 to 5 stars are mostly likely associated with improved head protection in side crashes. It is only in the last few years that most popular models in Australia have reached a 5 star rating. Many of these vehicles are not yet covered by Used Car Safety Ratings because of the inherent delay in obtaining real-world crash data. It is therefore planned to repeat this analysis in 2014.

Proceedings of the 17th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV), Jun 4, 2001

Deformable barrier, 64 km/h offset crash tests are conducted under international New Car Assessme... more Deformable barrier, 64 km/h offset crash tests are conducted under international New Car Assessment Programs. Injury and deformation data from more than 140 offset crash tests carried out since 1995 by EuroNCAP, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Australian NCAP ...

This paper reports a study of the performance of in-vehicle navigation devices to assess speed-re... more This paper reports a study of the performance of in-vehicle navigation devices to assess speed-related functionality and the provision of speed information to drivers. There are currently no standards or assessments protocols for navigation devices that are complete and that are directly relevant to the assessment of commercially available Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) devices. Human factors research is not conclusive about the best ways to convey speed limit information and speeding alerts to drivers, and a review of the literature indicated that there are some human-machine-interface methods that should be avoided in the driving task. Protocols for the assessment of navigation devices should avoid being design restrictive, but should discourage poor interface design concerning speed limit information and speeding alerts to drivers. A protocol was developed to evaluate in-vehicle navigation devices offering an ISA capability. The intended outcome from the use of this protocol is to assist consumers in decisions to purchase these devices. Four ISA devices currently available on the Australian market were tested on-road in a scenario incorporating freeway, commercial and residential environments, similar to how the devices would be commonly used. The results indicated that the protocol was very robust, being repeatable, relevant and objective, and can be used as the basis for the development and promulgation of a standard for the assessment of the safety of in-vehicle navigation devices with an ISA capability.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE 21ST (ESV) INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL CONFERENCE ON THE ENHANCED SAFETY OF VEHICLES, HELD JUNE 2009, STUTTGART, GERMANY, 2009

Most motorists do not appreciate the extra risks involved in travelling just a few km/h over the ... more Most motorists do not appreciate the extra risks involved in travelling just a few km/h over the speed limit. Most think that the risk of a casualty crash is doubled if you are travelling at least 25km/h over the speed limit (Hatfield & Job 2006). Research has found that that, in urban ...

24th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2015

The purpose of the Australian Child Restraint Evaluation Program (CREP) is to provide consumers w... more The purpose of the Australian Child Restraint Evaluation Program (CREP) is to provide consumers with independent safety information; and to apply commercial and public consumer pressure on manufacturers to deliver child restraint systems (CRS) that perform well beyond the requirements of the Australian Standard. This paper describes the evolution of the dynamic assessment protocols and presents a summary of areas where improvement in dynamic performance has occurred. Areas of dynamic performance where there is still room for improvement, are also reviewed. The dynamic assessment protocol has evolved from a system that separately scored the performance of CRS in frontal, 90 degrees and 66 degrees simulated impacts to a system that provides a single overall score for front and side impact tests to determine CRS ratings. The current protocols also nominate a number of 'Critical' 'Performance Aspect' (PAs) and a CRS is limited to one star if a score of '0' is achieved for any critical PA. There have also been significant changes to the dynamic test and assessment methods over the years to ensure assessment methods are as objective as possible, and some variation in the types of performance features assessed. For rearward facing infant restraints, CREP currently assesses the ability of the CRS to retain the head and torso in front and side impacts, control upward and rotational displacement of the CRS in rebound and distribute the load over the back of the dummy, in frontal testing, , manage dummy head and torso energy in frontal testing and manage dummy head energy in side impact. Similar assessments of dummy and head retention and energy management are used in the rating of forward facing child restraints. These assessments also include head and knee excursion. For booster seats, the ability of the booster to provide and maintain good sash belt geometry, and to prevent submarining in frontal Brown 2 impacts. Assessments of head retention and energy management in side impact and dummy retention both in near and offside impacts are also included for booster seats. There have been substantial improvements in the side impact protection features of rearward facing and forward facing child restraints observed in the program, and increasingly better performance of booster seats in maintaining good seat belt geometry in frontal impact. However, there is a need for more attention to head energy management in side impact, particularly among rearward facing restraints. Among rearward facing restraints, there are also concerns about poor performance of most restraints to adequately distribute crash forces through the back of the torso in frontal impact. Among forward facing restraints, there are concerns over head containment during rebound in frontal impact. While there have been significant improvements to the test and assessment methods used in CREP there is a possibility that some aspects of good performance are being overstated and aspects of poor performance understated due to limitations in the assessment and rating procedures. Areas for possible future refinements of the protocols are also discussed.

24th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2015

ANCAP crash tests are conducted to well-established protocols and use driver and front passenger ... more ANCAP crash tests are conducted to well-established protocols and use driver and front passenger anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) that represent 50 percentile (%ile) adult males. Most modern vehicles do well in these crash tests. However, concerns have been raised about the protection provided to smaller occupants. In 2013 ANCAP conducted a 64km/h frontal offset crash test of a Holden Commodore VF Ute (single-cab pickup) with two Hybrid III 50%ile male ATDs (AM50). In 2014 the opportunity arose to conduct a further research crash test of a Commodore VF Ute using a small adult female driver ATD (5%ile adult female) and a 6 year old child ATD (Hybrid III 6) in a booster seat in the front passenger seating position. The purpose of the research test was to determine whether the two occupants had an increased risk of injury, compared with the adult male ATDs. The occupant injury measures for the smaller occupants were compared to the results of the previous vehicle crash test (with 50%ile adult male front occupants) in order to make comparisons between the level of protection offered to occupants of different sizes for this type of crash. Furthermore, the authors examined whether the restraint and airbag systems that perform well for 50%ile adult male occupants provide comparable protection for smaller occupants and whether there are any additional hazards for smaller occupants. The outcome of the research was that for the case examined, with the available methods for assessing injury risk, smaller occupants appear to be offered comparative protection in a frontal offset impact for this particular vehicle model. It is apparent that the test vehicle manufacturer included consideration of smaller occupants in the design and development of this vehicle model.

Introduction In 1992, the Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW (RTA), the National Roads and Motori... more Introduction In 1992, the Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW (RTA), the National Roads and Motorists Association (NRMA) and the Australian Consumers' Association (ACA) combined their resources to design and implement a Child Restraint Evaluation Program (CREP). The purpose of this program was to provide consumers with valuable information, and to pressure manufacturers to deliver child restraint systems (CRS) that performed well beyond the requirements of the Australian Standard. Since its inception, the CREP has included an assessment of both the dynamic performance of child restraints and the ease of use of these restraints. The latter is important as incorrect use of a child restraint degrades the level of protection provided in a crash. In some cases, incorrect use can lead to injury where injury would otherwise have been avoided [1]. Ease of use assessments attempt to measure the inherent propensity for incorrect use. The original ease of installation and use trials were modelled on a draft ISO CRS fitting trial standard that required recruitment of child and adult subjects. This method proved to be a relatively expensive and time consuming exercise. Following publication of the results from the first CREP series, the protocols were simplified and combined with the NRMA's vehicle compatibility trial. This combination was then used for CREP Stages 2 (1996) and 3 (1999-2000). More recently, the Insurance Corporation British Columbia, the National Highways Traffic Safety Administration, (NHTSA) and the Consumer Union, developed more advanced ease-of-use assessment models for CRS assessment. This development led to a review of the CREP assessment procedures in 2005. The outcome of this review was more comprehensive ease-of-use assessment protocols and hitherto unused scoring protocols to be used in the revised assessment protocols [2]. This newly revised protocol forms the basis of assessment for the current CREP 4 series and has been presented elsewhere [3]. This paper provides exemplar results obtained from the significantly expanded ease of use component of CREP. In addition to demonstrating the benefits of the revised protocol, the highest priority areas for making significant gains in reducing the propensity for misuse among current Australian child restraints are presented. The role this form of assessment and programs, such as CREP, can have as an effective countermeasure to child restraint misuse are also discussed. Methods The full details ease of use criteria can be found at http://tinyurl.com/29me5k. The protocol is similar to that used by NHTSA [4] with additional assessments of some features and a modified feature assessment ranking.

Traffic Injury Prevention, Feb 27, 2009

The primary objective of this work was to examine variations in the level of crash protection pro... more The primary objective of this work was to examine variations in the level of crash protection provided by different models of high-back booster seats in frontal impact. Secondary objectives included examination of the influence that specific belt positioning features have on the ability of a booster to achieve and maintain good seat belt fit; and the relationship between dummy loads, motion, and belt fit, both statically (pre-impact) and dynamically (during impact). Seventeen different models of high-back booster seats were subjected to simulated frontal impacts on a rebound crash sled. The TNO P10 dummy, instrumented to measure head and chest accelerations and targeted to allow head motion tracking, was used in these tests. Three high-speed cameras were used to record dummy motion. Associations between pre-impact seat belt geometry, the dynamic seat belt fit, and dummy response were examined. Clear variations were observed in the level of protection provided by the booster seats tested. Specifically, there were variations in the ability to provide and maintain good seat belt fit. Only three of the seventeen booster seats provided good sash (shoulder) and lap belt fit during dynamic testing. All seventeen boosters had a "sash guide." Sash guide type did not appear to influence the dynamic belt fit. However, the location of the guide and ultimately where on the shoulder the sash was positioned pre-impact did influence the dynamic sash fit. Anti-submarine clips (ASCs) that work to position the lap belt low on the abdomen were also found to maintain good lap belt fit during the dynamic tests. However, two booster seats without ASCs were also able to maintain good dynamic lap belt fit, although the mechanism of this behavior is less clear. Though there was a relationship between head excursion, head acceleration and the pre-impact static position of the sash belt (shoulder belt), there was no relationship between dummy response and the overall ability of a booster seat to provide and maintain both good sash and lap belt fit. Booster seats aim to achieve a good seat belt fit for children too small to use the adult seat belt. Variations in dynamic seat belt fit observed among these seventeen commercially available booster seats demonstrate the need for regulatory protocols that incorporate assessment of dynamic seat belt fit. With current technologies, visual examination of the seat belt during dynamic testing is the best method for assessing this performance.

22nd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2011

23rd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2013

Advisory Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) systems are those that integrate data about vehicle locat... more Advisory Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) systems are those that integrate data about vehicle location with information about the speed limit of the current section of road and direction of travel, and which will alert the driver if the speed limit is exceeded. The authors examine the potential of after-market portable navigation devices (e.g., smartphones and portable satellite navigation devices) to inform drivers about posted speed limits and to assist them to travel within the speed limits. Data sources include ISA effectiveness studies, manufacturer's product specifications, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal and device positioning theory, information related to performance characteristics and method of operation of GNSS signal emulators, digital speed limit maps provided with ISA-related software and human factors research associated with in-vehicle alerts. At the time of the research project there were no standards or assessment protocols directly relevant to assessing after-market ISA devices therefore a draft assessment protocol was developed. It was found that it is feasible to assess and rate the performance of after-market ISA devices in an objective and repeatable manner. It is estimated that the better performing devices could reduce fatal and serious crashes by around 19% assuming widespread fleet penetration. An analysis of various implementations scenarios shows that a modest uptake in advisory ISA enabled PNDs is required to break even on implementation costs.

24th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2015

22nd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2011

Australasian Road Safety Conference, 2016, Canberra, ACT, Australia, Sep 1, 2016

The Journal of the Australasian College of Road Safety, Nov 1, 2007

24th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2015

In 1999 the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) aligned its test and assessment proto... more In 1999 the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) aligned its test and assessment protocols with Euro NCAP and began issuing safety ratings, with a maximum rating of 5 stars. In effect, to achieve 5 stars, the vehicle needed good frontal offset crash test performance and good head protection in intrusive side impacts. The rating system awards bonus points for intelligent seat belt reminders and, recently, requires certain safety features such electronic stability control (ESC) and emergency brake assist (EBA). The proportion of models achieving a 5-star safety rating has gradually increased from zero in 2002 to an estimated 75% of models on sale in 2014. This paper presents an analysis of trends with safety ratings and the uptake of key safety features during this period. This paper also provides estimates of future savings due to the penetration of 5-star vehicles into the Australian vehicle fleet.

24th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2015

20th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2007

... Julie Brown Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, UNSW Michael Paine David Paine Vehicl... more ... Julie Brown Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, UNSW Michael Paine David Paine Vehicle Design & Research Paul Kelly Michael Griffiths Nimmi ... Booster seats aim to improve the fit of the adult lap sash belt and their performance, particularly in frontal impact, should be ...

23rd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2013

Since 1995 the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has conducted a 64km/h offset cras... more Since 1995 the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has conducted a 64km/h offset crash test. In 1999 the test and rating protocols were aligned with European New Car Assessment Programme (EuroNCAP). This produces a rating out of 5 stars for front occupant (driver and front passenger) protection. In a separate program the crashworthiness of used cars in real-world crashes has been analysed under the Used Car Safety Rating (UCSR) scheme. The ANCAP and UCSR ratings of more than 30 models on the Australian market can be tracked for more than a decade. This paper sets out the results of an analysis of these data and observations about the safety improvements to these models. In general an improvement of one ANCAP star rating for a model is associated with a 20 to 25% reduction in risk of serious injury to the driver. It is likely that improvements from 3 stars or less to 4 stars are mostly associated with improved structure and restraints in frontal crashes. Improvements from 4 to 5 stars are mostly likely associated with improved head protection in side crashes. It is only in the last few years that most popular models in Australia have reached a 5 star rating. Many of these vehicles are not yet covered by Used Car Safety Ratings because of the inherent delay in obtaining real-world crash data. It is therefore planned to repeat this analysis in 2014.

Proceedings of the 17th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV), Jun 4, 2001

Deformable barrier, 64 km/h offset crash tests are conducted under international New Car Assessme... more Deformable barrier, 64 km/h offset crash tests are conducted under international New Car Assessment Programs. Injury and deformation data from more than 140 offset crash tests carried out since 1995 by EuroNCAP, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Australian NCAP ...

This paper reports a study of the performance of in-vehicle navigation devices to assess speed-re... more This paper reports a study of the performance of in-vehicle navigation devices to assess speed-related functionality and the provision of speed information to drivers. There are currently no standards or assessments protocols for navigation devices that are complete and that are directly relevant to the assessment of commercially available Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) devices. Human factors research is not conclusive about the best ways to convey speed limit information and speeding alerts to drivers, and a review of the literature indicated that there are some human-machine-interface methods that should be avoided in the driving task. Protocols for the assessment of navigation devices should avoid being design restrictive, but should discourage poor interface design concerning speed limit information and speeding alerts to drivers. A protocol was developed to evaluate in-vehicle navigation devices offering an ISA capability. The intended outcome from the use of this protocol is to assist consumers in decisions to purchase these devices. Four ISA devices currently available on the Australian market were tested on-road in a scenario incorporating freeway, commercial and residential environments, similar to how the devices would be commonly used. The results indicated that the protocol was very robust, being repeatable, relevant and objective, and can be used as the basis for the development and promulgation of a standard for the assessment of the safety of in-vehicle navigation devices with an ISA capability.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE 21ST (ESV) INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL CONFERENCE ON THE ENHANCED SAFETY OF VEHICLES, HELD JUNE 2009, STUTTGART, GERMANY, 2009

Most motorists do not appreciate the extra risks involved in travelling just a few km/h over the ... more Most motorists do not appreciate the extra risks involved in travelling just a few km/h over the speed limit. Most think that the risk of a casualty crash is doubled if you are travelling at least 25km/h over the speed limit (Hatfield & Job 2006). Research has found that that, in urban ...

24th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2015

The purpose of the Australian Child Restraint Evaluation Program (CREP) is to provide consumers w... more The purpose of the Australian Child Restraint Evaluation Program (CREP) is to provide consumers with independent safety information; and to apply commercial and public consumer pressure on manufacturers to deliver child restraint systems (CRS) that perform well beyond the requirements of the Australian Standard. This paper describes the evolution of the dynamic assessment protocols and presents a summary of areas where improvement in dynamic performance has occurred. Areas of dynamic performance where there is still room for improvement, are also reviewed. The dynamic assessment protocol has evolved from a system that separately scored the performance of CRS in frontal, 90 degrees and 66 degrees simulated impacts to a system that provides a single overall score for front and side impact tests to determine CRS ratings. The current protocols also nominate a number of 'Critical' 'Performance Aspect' (PAs) and a CRS is limited to one star if a score of '0' is achieved for any critical PA. There have also been significant changes to the dynamic test and assessment methods over the years to ensure assessment methods are as objective as possible, and some variation in the types of performance features assessed. For rearward facing infant restraints, CREP currently assesses the ability of the CRS to retain the head and torso in front and side impacts, control upward and rotational displacement of the CRS in rebound and distribute the load over the back of the dummy, in frontal testing, , manage dummy head and torso energy in frontal testing and manage dummy head energy in side impact. Similar assessments of dummy and head retention and energy management are used in the rating of forward facing child restraints. These assessments also include head and knee excursion. For booster seats, the ability of the booster to provide and maintain good sash belt geometry, and to prevent submarining in frontal Brown 2 impacts. Assessments of head retention and energy management in side impact and dummy retention both in near and offside impacts are also included for booster seats. There have been substantial improvements in the side impact protection features of rearward facing and forward facing child restraints observed in the program, and increasingly better performance of booster seats in maintaining good seat belt geometry in frontal impact. However, there is a need for more attention to head energy management in side impact, particularly among rearward facing restraints. Among rearward facing restraints, there are also concerns about poor performance of most restraints to adequately distribute crash forces through the back of the torso in frontal impact. Among forward facing restraints, there are concerns over head containment during rebound in frontal impact. While there have been significant improvements to the test and assessment methods used in CREP there is a possibility that some aspects of good performance are being overstated and aspects of poor performance understated due to limitations in the assessment and rating procedures. Areas for possible future refinements of the protocols are also discussed.

24th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2015

ANCAP crash tests are conducted to well-established protocols and use driver and front passenger ... more ANCAP crash tests are conducted to well-established protocols and use driver and front passenger anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) that represent 50 percentile (%ile) adult males. Most modern vehicles do well in these crash tests. However, concerns have been raised about the protection provided to smaller occupants. In 2013 ANCAP conducted a 64km/h frontal offset crash test of a Holden Commodore VF Ute (single-cab pickup) with two Hybrid III 50%ile male ATDs (AM50). In 2014 the opportunity arose to conduct a further research crash test of a Commodore VF Ute using a small adult female driver ATD (5%ile adult female) and a 6 year old child ATD (Hybrid III 6) in a booster seat in the front passenger seating position. The purpose of the research test was to determine whether the two occupants had an increased risk of injury, compared with the adult male ATDs. The occupant injury measures for the smaller occupants were compared to the results of the previous vehicle crash test (with 50%ile adult male front occupants) in order to make comparisons between the level of protection offered to occupants of different sizes for this type of crash. Furthermore, the authors examined whether the restraint and airbag systems that perform well for 50%ile adult male occupants provide comparable protection for smaller occupants and whether there are any additional hazards for smaller occupants. The outcome of the research was that for the case examined, with the available methods for assessing injury risk, smaller occupants appear to be offered comparative protection in a frontal offset impact for this particular vehicle model. It is apparent that the test vehicle manufacturer included consideration of smaller occupants in the design and development of this vehicle model.

Introduction In 1992, the Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW (RTA), the National Roads and Motori... more Introduction In 1992, the Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW (RTA), the National Roads and Motorists Association (NRMA) and the Australian Consumers' Association (ACA) combined their resources to design and implement a Child Restraint Evaluation Program (CREP). The purpose of this program was to provide consumers with valuable information, and to pressure manufacturers to deliver child restraint systems (CRS) that performed well beyond the requirements of the Australian Standard. Since its inception, the CREP has included an assessment of both the dynamic performance of child restraints and the ease of use of these restraints. The latter is important as incorrect use of a child restraint degrades the level of protection provided in a crash. In some cases, incorrect use can lead to injury where injury would otherwise have been avoided [1]. Ease of use assessments attempt to measure the inherent propensity for incorrect use. The original ease of installation and use trials were modelled on a draft ISO CRS fitting trial standard that required recruitment of child and adult subjects. This method proved to be a relatively expensive and time consuming exercise. Following publication of the results from the first CREP series, the protocols were simplified and combined with the NRMA's vehicle compatibility trial. This combination was then used for CREP Stages 2 (1996) and 3 (1999-2000). More recently, the Insurance Corporation British Columbia, the National Highways Traffic Safety Administration, (NHTSA) and the Consumer Union, developed more advanced ease-of-use assessment models for CRS assessment. This development led to a review of the CREP assessment procedures in 2005. The outcome of this review was more comprehensive ease-of-use assessment protocols and hitherto unused scoring protocols to be used in the revised assessment protocols [2]. This newly revised protocol forms the basis of assessment for the current CREP 4 series and has been presented elsewhere [3]. This paper provides exemplar results obtained from the significantly expanded ease of use component of CREP. In addition to demonstrating the benefits of the revised protocol, the highest priority areas for making significant gains in reducing the propensity for misuse among current Australian child restraints are presented. The role this form of assessment and programs, such as CREP, can have as an effective countermeasure to child restraint misuse are also discussed. Methods The full details ease of use criteria can be found at http://tinyurl.com/29me5k. The protocol is similar to that used by NHTSA [4] with additional assessments of some features and a modified feature assessment ranking.

Traffic Injury Prevention, Feb 27, 2009

The primary objective of this work was to examine variations in the level of crash protection pro... more The primary objective of this work was to examine variations in the level of crash protection provided by different models of high-back booster seats in frontal impact. Secondary objectives included examination of the influence that specific belt positioning features have on the ability of a booster to achieve and maintain good seat belt fit; and the relationship between dummy loads, motion, and belt fit, both statically (pre-impact) and dynamically (during impact). Seventeen different models of high-back booster seats were subjected to simulated frontal impacts on a rebound crash sled. The TNO P10 dummy, instrumented to measure head and chest accelerations and targeted to allow head motion tracking, was used in these tests. Three high-speed cameras were used to record dummy motion. Associations between pre-impact seat belt geometry, the dynamic seat belt fit, and dummy response were examined. Clear variations were observed in the level of protection provided by the booster seats tested. Specifically, there were variations in the ability to provide and maintain good seat belt fit. Only three of the seventeen booster seats provided good sash (shoulder) and lap belt fit during dynamic testing. All seventeen boosters had a "sash guide." Sash guide type did not appear to influence the dynamic belt fit. However, the location of the guide and ultimately where on the shoulder the sash was positioned pre-impact did influence the dynamic sash fit. Anti-submarine clips (ASCs) that work to position the lap belt low on the abdomen were also found to maintain good lap belt fit during the dynamic tests. However, two booster seats without ASCs were also able to maintain good dynamic lap belt fit, although the mechanism of this behavior is less clear. Though there was a relationship between head excursion, head acceleration and the pre-impact static position of the sash belt (shoulder belt), there was no relationship between dummy response and the overall ability of a booster seat to provide and maintain both good sash and lap belt fit. Booster seats aim to achieve a good seat belt fit for children too small to use the adult seat belt. Variations in dynamic seat belt fit observed among these seventeen commercially available booster seats demonstrate the need for regulatory protocols that incorporate assessment of dynamic seat belt fit. With current technologies, visual examination of the seat belt during dynamic testing is the best method for assessing this performance.

22nd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2011

23rd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2013

Advisory Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) systems are those that integrate data about vehicle locat... more Advisory Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) systems are those that integrate data about vehicle location with information about the speed limit of the current section of road and direction of travel, and which will alert the driver if the speed limit is exceeded. The authors examine the potential of after-market portable navigation devices (e.g., smartphones and portable satellite navigation devices) to inform drivers about posted speed limits and to assist them to travel within the speed limits. Data sources include ISA effectiveness studies, manufacturer's product specifications, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal and device positioning theory, information related to performance characteristics and method of operation of GNSS signal emulators, digital speed limit maps provided with ISA-related software and human factors research associated with in-vehicle alerts. At the time of the research project there were no standards or assessment protocols directly relevant to assessing after-market ISA devices therefore a draft assessment protocol was developed. It was found that it is feasible to assess and rate the performance of after-market ISA devices in an objective and repeatable manner. It is estimated that the better performing devices could reduce fatal and serious crashes by around 19% assuming widespread fleet penetration. An analysis of various implementations scenarios shows that a modest uptake in advisory ISA enabled PNDs is required to break even on implementation costs.

24th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2015

22nd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV)National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2011

Australasian Road Safety Conference, 2016, Canberra, ACT, Australia, Sep 1, 2016

The Journal of the Australasian College of Road Safety, Nov 1, 2007