July 1, 2016 | By Greene Broillet & Wheeler
Automobile accidents are unavoidably dangerous, but improvements to crash safety measures are changing how the automobile industry thinks about who is statistically safest in a car crash scenario. Traditional wisdom has held for decades that the back seat in a vehicle is a safer place for adults to ride than the front passenger seat. This proves to be an outdated idea as new studies indicate that back seat passengers may be more likely to suffer injuries in some cases.
Over the last 20 years, major advances have been made in car crash safety features. Airbags have become more effective, and improvements in seat belt systems mean that they can counteract impacts in a crash. Car Manufacturers have implemented “crumple zones” in automobile designs to lessen impacts where they are most likely to occur — in the front of a vehicle. Since about 88 percent of all passenger injuries are suffered by those riding in the front of the vehicle, manufacturers have understandably focused primarily on front-end safety.
For adults riding in the back seat of a vehicle, they have become more likely to suffer some kinds of injuries. Most improvements to car safety over the last two decades have been implemented in the front of cars, where the majority of damage usually occurs, leaving backseat safety measures lagging behind. In addition, drivers and passengers in the front seats are significantly more likely than back seat passengers to wear seat belts, which can greatly minimize the likelihood of a car accident injury.
Car accident-related injuries are never something to take lightly. An experienced legal professional can help ensure your injury receives the proper consideration on your way to recovery.