Lawrence Patrick

{{Short description|American academic}}

{{Infobox person

|name = Lawrence Patrick

|image = PatrickLFamerL83.jpg

|caption = Lawrence Patrick

|birth_date = {{birth year|1920}}

|birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, U.S.

|death_date = {{death date and age|2006|04|30|1920|mf=yes}}

|death_place = Hendersonville, North Carolina

|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 = Bess Patrick

}}

Lawrence Patrick (1920 – April 30, 2006{{Cite web |url=http://www.eng.wayne.edu/page.php?id=4568 |title=Larry Patrick, pioneer auto safety researcher: 1920 - 2006 |access-date=2008-03-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215220245/http://www.eng.wayne.edu/page.php?id=4568 |archive-date=2017-12-15 |url-status=dead }}) was an American scientist and researcher who is 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".Mary Roach (November 19, 1999), [http://archive.salon.com/health/col/roac/1999/11/19/crash_test/print.html I was a human crash-test dummy] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060311013317/http://archive.salon.com/health/col/roac/1999/11/19/crash_test/print.html |date=2006-03-11 }}. Salon.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-29. Patrick allowed himself to be subject to over 400 rocket sled rides,{{cite web |title=The world's hardest scientists |url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/gallery/2010/nov/04/hardest-scientists |website=The Guardian |access-date=24 September 2022 |date=12 November 2010}} 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.[http://www.hendersonvillenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060501/OBITUARIES/605010313/1001 Lawrence M. Patrick, 85 | BlueRidgeNow.com | Times-News Online | Hendersonville, NC]