SAFE TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

The purpose of this work was to test and evaluate safe transportation systems for children with medical problems. Several crash tests were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of restraint systems for children with low birth weight, congenital hip dislocation, Pierre Robin sequence, and body casts. To perform the tests, several special dummies were developed and some of the restraint systems were modified. Restraint systems that performed successfully during dynamic crash testing and that showed promise in addressing specific transportation problems were provided on a loan basis with satisfactory results. The crash test results and the success reported by users of the restraint systems demonstrate that there are several devices available for transporting children with medical problems.