Lawrence Patrick

Lawrence Patrick
Lawrence Patrick
Born	c.1920 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Died	April 30, 2006 Hendersonville, North Carolina
Citizenship	United States
Alma mater	Wayne State University;
Occupation	Researcher, Educator
Known for	Early pioneer in impact biomechanics, Automotive safety design improvements, Invention of the air bag
Spouse(s)	Bess Patrick

Lawrence Patrick (1920 – April 30, 2006^[1]) may well be considered one of the fathers of the crash test dummy. Between 1960 and 1975, while a biomechanics professor at Detroit's Wayne State University, Patrick described his work by saying "I was a human crash-test dummy",^[2] Patrick allowed himself to be subject to rocket sled rides, crushing blows to the head and body, and other forms of physical abuse in an effort to develop a body of data on how the human body responded in a vehicle accident. One of his students, Harold Mertz, went on to develop Hybrid III, the current worldwide standard crash test dummy. Lawrence also subjected himself to a 50 pound pendulum to the breast plate to test the effects of a steering column on a human. Lawrence died of Parkinson's Disease on April 30, 2006 at the age of 85.^[3]

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