Gainesville, Ocala, Lake City & Inverness, Florida Accident Attorney and Alachua County DUI Lawyer Blogs

Car seat safety is for everyone.

Did you know that car seat safety isn't just for kids?  A driver's seat safety has serious consequences for spinal, neck, and back injuries in a crash. Car seat safety is for everyone.

As an experienced accident attorney, it is my mission to educate drivers about basic automobile safety, such as car seats.  Did you know that if a car's seat rating or positioning is poor, serious whiplash injuries may occur during an accident?

The National Safety Commission (NSC) recommends that drivers take these safety steps: 

1. Check the head rest position. It's all about geometry. A head rest should reach approximately the midpoint of the skull (about 9 cm, 3.5 inches, below the top of the head).
2. Put your seat in an up-right, locked position.  If a seat is too far reclined, the greater the distance the body travels and the more violently the neck snaps back in a crash. Don't recline your seat, it's dangerous.
3. Position the seat at least 10 inches from the airbag.
4. Buckle the seatbelt low around your waist. Adjust the height of the seat belt, if necessary, and wear the shoulder harness across your chest.
5. When purchasing a car, check the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) car seat safety ratings.    

A car seat protects a driver or passenger in the event of a crash. While a seat may be relaxing and comfortable, reclining a seat too far could actually lead to "drowsy driving" when tired. 

Did you know that car seat safety is so important that the IIHS tests the seat independently from the rest of the vehicle?  Crash test dummies with a realistic spine and neck are bucked into a seat and crashed at 20 mph.  This simulates a common rear-end crash scenario that often results in whiplash.