Shock Absorbers

Rear Seat Study

According to a recent study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, front-seat seat-belt use stands at 87 percent while rear seat use by passengers age 8 years and older lags behind at 78 percent.

Misperception

Perhaps this discrepancy can be explained by many people's misperception that the rear seat is a safer place to sit than the front seat. However, an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study indicates that there is a 46 percent higher risk of dying in a crash in the rear seat (even when wearing a seat belt) than in the front seat when driving in vehicles manufactured after 2006.

The problem is that advancements in front seat safety have yet to make it to the rear seat.

TIP: While airbags for rear seat passengers currently protect against side impacts, safety experts are proposing rear airbags that deploy from the backs of front seats for added safety.

Learn more about vehicle and car seat safety at nhtsa.gov.

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