While buckling seatbelts is second nature when getting into a car – how many of us think to adjust the headrest?
Reports show that headrests are one of the most overlooked safety features in motor vehicles today and many of us don’t realize the important role they play in preventing neck, brain and spinal cord related injuries.
“Headrests are designed to work alongside the seatbelt so that when an accident occurs it prevents the head from twisting backwards, causing whiplash,” says Mauro Convertini, an insurance and claims expert. “Drivers can sustain an injury from an incorrectly adjusted headrest even at speeds as low as 15km per hour – the same speed as the average bicycle.”
According to an Insurance Bureau of Canada study, only 14 per cent of drivers on the road have their headrest in the proper position. And the fact that whiplash is the most common soft tissue injury incurred during auto collisions underlines the importance of adjusting each passenger’s headrest properly.
Convertini recommends that drivers follow three simple steps in order to prevent injuries associated with improper headrest position:
1. Align the top of the headrest with the top of your head.
2. Position the centre of your headrest so that it is slightly above the top of the ear.
3. Ensure that the distance between the headrest and the back of the head is between five and 10 centimetres.
As importantly, says Convertini, if you’re a family with multiple drivers, always make a a specific point of adjusting the headrest before starting the ignition.
www.Newscanada.com
