Think Twice Before Trading Safety for Comfort – It Can Make for a Deadly Tradeoff
Sometimes comfort can be deadly. And the rest you obtain may be your final one. But you may not know about the dangers from some of the comfort features on the products you buy.
For instance, riding in a car with your seat reclined poses increased dangers of severe injuries or even death during a wreck. Automakers have known for almost 5 decades now about the dangers of sitting reclined in your seat during a car wreck. During the 8th Stapp Car Crash Conference way back in 1964, engineers presented chilling demonstrations of the ineffectiveness of seatbelt restraints on reclined vehicle occupants during a car crash.
When you’re reclined in your seat during a car wreck:
* You can “submarine” below the seatbelt.
* You might be ejected from the vehicle if the belt fails to restrain you.
* You may suffer severe injuries if the belt tightens against unintended bodily areas.
Standard three-point seatbelt harness designs generally attach to the car’s B pillar. Essentially, they can only provide the intended level of occupant restraint during a car crash if you’re sitting upright in an un-reclined seat.
Additionally, when you’re reclined in your seat during a car wreck, you lose most of the advantages of your car’s airbags. They will deploy in places that would protect you if you sat upright. But if you’re reclining, the airbags may miss you altogether. Airbag designs still work best mainly for adults who are upright in their seats n a car crash. Airbags can provide particular protection during rollover wrecks, where they might keep you from getting ejected from your vehicle.
Some seatbelt designs include the seatbelt harness apparatus as part of the seat itself. The advantage to these designs is that they will restrain you in your seat at whatever angle the seat is reclined even during a car crash. These are called “belt in seat” harnesses, and remain relatively rare.
The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an $810,000 jury verdict against Hyundai for an unsafe design defect in their 2005 Tucson SUV that allowed the passenger seat to recline beyond a 45 degree angle. The SUV apparently did not contain belt-in-seat restraint assemblies either. And a young woman, wearing her seatbelt, suffered a fatal accident when the SUV ejected her during a rollover wreck.
We know it’s much more comfortable and relaxing to enjoy your car ride blissfully reclined. But few vehicles as yet contain all the designs and safety features you’ll need to protect you in the event you’re reclined in your seat during a car wreck. Everyone values comfort. But ask yourself: is it really worth your life?