Why Is The Seat Behind The Driver The Safest Place To Ride In A Car In California?

Many factors go into determining the safest seat in a car at any given moment of any given accident. Therefore, there is not one seat that is always the safest. There are, however, some cases where it is more likely that the backseat behind the driver (that is, the left rear seat) is the safest part of the car. 

One scenario where the seat behind the driver is going to be the safest is in the case of an accident when the car turns left and is hit head-on. The impact of this type of crash will most likely be focused on the front passenger side, which means the rear passenger on the driver’s side is the farthest away from the initial impact. As a result, the front passenger may suffer a catastrophic injury or even death, while the passenger behind the driver may walk away with barely a scratch. Being farther away from the primary impact is almost always the best way to survive a car accident.

Why Is It Advantageous To Be Behind The Driver Of A Car?

Another reason the passenger seat behind the driver may be the safest is that the driver is likely to instinctively react to protect themselves in emergencies. Thus, the driver may unconsciously protect the driver’s side more than the passenger’s side, and with it, the passenger behind them more than passengers. 

Following this reasoning, in a car with the steering wheel on the right side of the car (for example, in England), it may be safer to ride on the right passenger side (behind the driver).

What About The Middle Back Seat Of A Car?

The seat behind the driver may also be the safest seat in other head-on collisions. Being in the back seat is usually safer than being in the front seat in a head-on collision simply because the back seat is farther away from the impact. It is sometimes said that the middle back seat is the safest in this scenario because there is no seat in front of the passenger with which the passenger may collide. Also, the middle seat is farthest from the point of impact in side-on collisions; and farther away from the side airbags, which can cause damage on their own. However, although a seat in front of a passenger may become an obstacle they crash into, it can also protect the passenger behind it from flying glass and other projectiles. Also, not all center car seats have a seatbelt with a shoulder strap—some only have a lap belt. Thus, in some scenarios, the side seats may be safer than the middle seats, assuming the passengers are wearing their seatbelts. In almost every case, it is safer to wear a seatbelt than not. 

When Is It Worse To Be In The Back Seat Of A Car?

At times, being in the back seat is more dangerous than being in the front seat. A rear collision is one example. A side collision is another. Even in cases where back seats are fully equipped with three-point seat belts (or those with a shoulder strap), in many cases, these rear seat belts are not as technologically sophisticated as their front seat counterparts. These less advanced seatbelts may cause injuries to the chest of the passengers wearing them.

Sustain an injury in a car accident? The car accident attorneys at Law Offices of Samer Habbas & Associates can discuss your legal options with you. For an initial case consultation, call 888-848-5084 or visit our website today.