|
|
Portable
Seatbelt
Status Report
WHAT
STARTED THIS JOURNEY?
On March 27, 1996, a chartered bus traveling in India from
Delhi to Agra
overturned on a treacherous road. This bus
transporting students
participating in the Semester at Sea Study Abroad Program
resulted in
critical injury to 3 students and death of two tour
guides, one program
chaperone, and 4 female students including Sara Christie
Schewe, a junior at
Georgetown University. To meet the goal of saving
lives, Sara's parents
created Sara's Wish Foundation [SWF], a non-profit 501
[c]3 organization.
SWF's objectives are to enhance travel safety and honor
Sara's memory by
providing monetary awards to women [120 to date] committed
to conducting
humanitarian public services. As part of improving road
and travel safety,
Sara's Wish Foundation has developed a portable seatbelt.
WHAT
ARE THE OBJECTIVES FOR THE PORTABLE SEATBELT?
The goal of the portable seatbelt is simply to save lives
around the world.
The seatbelt is transportable (lightweight, strong fabric
materials, small
in size), convenient (easy to use, versatile to various
vehicles),
functional (restrains in all directions, 5-point harness
and lap belt), and
will be aesthetic (stylish, appealing, added cushioning).
Although
initially intended for domestic US sale, its use is
applicable globally.
And this portable seatbelt is far less expensive than
retrofitting existing
buses with seatbelts.
WHAT IS THE STATUS TODAY?
The portable seatbelt is very near technical completion.
It has been crash
tested at The Engineering Institute in Arkansas under the
direction of Dr.
Chandra Thorbole. It is proven to work in both front
and rear crashes, as
well as restrain the occupant to their seat. Some
additional design work is
necessary to eradicate lateral movement. Sara's Wish
Foundation and the
University of Massachusetts have a provisional patent and
have filed for a
utility patent.
Sara's Wish Foundation has a wide network of industry,
governmental,
organizational, and supportive contacts. These
include, but are not limited
to, Dr. Chandra Thorbole [noted above], a vehicular
kinetics specialist, Dr.
Sundar Krishnamurty, Professor of Mechanical and
Industrial Engineering,
Larry Schneider of the University of Michigan
Transportation Research
Institute, Cathy Silberman and Rochelle Sobel from the
Association of Safety
for International Road Travel, Roger Saul and Sashi Kuppa
at the Department
of Transportation, Kathryn Higgins, Congresswoman and
member of the National
Transportation Safety Board, Mr. John Betts, Motor Coach
Safety Advocate,
and Mr. Ronal Medford, Acting Deputy Administrator of the
National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, April Mims and Jacqueline
Gillan of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety...among
many others.
WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS?
The following activities are scheduled for 2010.
Immediate action
focuses on finalization of the design of the seatbelt,
investigation of bulk
buyers as well as the end consumer, enhancement of the
network of contacts,
and advocacy for road safety to align current legislation
with the
availability of our product. Given the very recent
legislation [S. 554, the Motorcoach Enhanced Safety Act of
2009, as passed by the Senate Commerce, Science and
Transportation Committee], we are looking at the best
options to manufacture and distribute this product.
This could affordably address the idea of safely
retrofitting motorcoaches and ultimately saving lives.
Home | Sara's Wish | Sara's Story | Travel
Safety | Safety
Video | Portable
Seatbelt
Scholarships | Foundation Archives | Contribute to Sara's Wish
Contact Us
|
|
