It is ideally thought that sitting in the back seat of a
vehicle is the safest spot to be. It makes sense – especially if you crash from
the front, you are further away from the windshield and dashboard, as well as
further away from the possibility of the opposite car reaching you. But
sometimes, the backseat can be more dangerous.
The chances of surviving any serious car crash vary widely,
depending on the collision, speed and type of vehicles involved. But for people
seated in the front, those odds have greatly improved over the last two decades
as regulators started requiring automakers to install air bags. The car
industry’s focus has always been on better protecting riders in the front because
that’s where most passengers, roughly 88 percent, sit.
When it comes to children, however, the backseat is the
safest place for them. Children 12 and younger account for 56 percent of
passengers who sit in the back, but only 24 percent of crash fatalities,
according to a recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
(IIHS) and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia that reviewed U.S. accidents
between 2007 and 2012.
But the same is not always true for adults. For those 55 and
older, even those using a seat belt were more likely to die in a crash while
seated in the back as opposed to the front, according to the study. Researchers
said that was consistent with prior data showing that adults in the rear are
more likely than adults in the front to sustain chest injuries. They also said
there was “some evidence of an elevated risk of head and neck injuries for
restrained women seated in the rear compared to the front.”
Another reason that backseats can be more dangerous is
because people are less likely to wear their seatbelt when sitting in the back.
People assume the backseat is safer and they also don’t have to worry about
buckling up just because it’s the law, as it is when sitting in the front. Therefore,
even though you are further away from the collision, if you aren’t wearing your
seatbelt when it happens, you put yourself in a more dangerous situation than
if you were in the front passenger seat but wearing a seat belt. Also, seat belts in the back seat might be
less comfortable to wear, considering backseats are made to sit three people,
so the seatbelts don’t sit as spaciously comfortable as they do in the front
seats.
Also, there are no beeping mechanisms for backseats when
seatbelts are not buckled. The common beeping reminder found in vehicles only
works for the front seats, so people in the backseat aren’t reminded or don’t
feel obligated to put on their seatbelt.
Regardless of where you sit, wearing a seatbelt is extremely
important and can save your life, so always buckle up when getting into a
vehicle.
If
you or someone you know has been involved in a car crash or truck accident in
Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren, Sterling Heights, Lansing, Flint, Ann Arbor,
Livonia, Dearborn, Canton, Westland, Troy, Farmington Hills, Southfield,
Waterford or any other city in Michigan, make sure to contact Motor City
Accident Attorneys by calling 1-800-411-PAIN. Motor City Accident Attorneys
know how stressful a car accident can be and want to help you get back on your
feet. They will fight tirelessly for your rights and help you get the
compensation you deserve, according to your specific case. Make sure to follow
Motor City Accident Attorneys on Twitter (@MCAccidentAtty) and Facebook. Join
the conversation by using #MCAA.
