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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia. (CBS19 NEWS) – Studies show that because of the design of seat belts, obese people have a higher risk of getting injured during a head-on collision. Researchers at the University of Virginia are working on designing a seatbelt that can accommodate people of all sizes.
Seatbelts were designed for the average male, who is 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs about 170 pounds.
Studies have shown that, in obese people, the seat belt may not have been big enough, causing people to glide forward in an accident involving a higher risk of injury.
Knee injuries, caused by forward sliding in the dashboard or steering wheel, are usually badociated with frontal collisions.
Hamed Joodaki, a PhD student in mechanical engineering at the UVA Center for Applied Biomechanics, is conducting research on a more effective safety belt for all.
He used hundreds of computer crash simulations designed to recreate a crash involving an obese occupant.
Joodaki's goal was to better understand why this was happening to larger people and how to change it.
He has worked on the design of seat belts capable of taking into account the size and weight of a person driving.
Joodaki hopes to complete his research by the end of 2019.
Once completed, he plans to publish his findings in specialized journals where his colleagues engineers can deepen his work. He hopes someday to change the way the seat belt works.
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