Safest Seat in a Car
Car accidents often happen at the least expected moment. Many years ago, a former co-worker attended an annual Christmas party held by the company. In an effort to avoid drink and drive, the company was kind enough to offer employees free taxi ride home after the party. The most logical thing for her to do was to take a taxi home. No one would have ever thought that it was actually a bad choice for her.
It was late in the night. On the ride home, the side of the taxi was hit by another vehicle at an intersection. Perhaps the taxi driver ran a red light, but it didn’t matter since the damage had been done. What mattered was that she was seriously injured and she was hospitalized for a long time. She managed to survive the car accident, but she never re-appeared in the office after the tragic accident.
This brings the question: Which is the safest seat in a passenger car?
The U.S. Department of Transportation has provided some statistics on the safety rating on the different seats in a passenger car. The result assumes a typical car has five seats including the driver’s seat.
Driver’s Seat
In the research, the driver’s seat is the reference point in terms of the safety rating. The driver’s seat has a risk coefficient of 100. Other passenger seats have a risk coefficient that is relative to the driver’s seat. The lower the number, the safer the seat’s location.
Front Passenger Seat
For those who prefer to sit in the front, think again. The front passenger seat is the most dangerous spot in a car. With a risk coefficient of 101, it means that the front passenger would be in a more dangerous position compared to the driver. This makes sense because a driver’s natural instinct is to steer away from an accident. As a result, the front passenger is more likely to be heading toward an accident.
Rear Passenger Seat (behind Front Passenger)
The rear passenger sitting diagonally from the driver is the second most dangerous spot. In fact, this is where most taxi riders sit if one is the only rider in the taxi. The risk coefficient is 74.2.
Rear Passenger Seat (behind Driver)
The passenger seat behind the driver is the second safest spot. The risk coefficient is 73.4.
Rear Center Passenger Seat
Lastly, the rear center passenger seat is the safest spot in a car with a risk coefficient of 62.2. This is true only if the passenger wears a seat belt. Relatively speaking, sitting behind the the driver is 62% safer than being in the front passenger seat. Without a seat belt, it seems to me that the centre passenger may get thrown out a car upon a severe frontal impact.
Sometimes it may be rude or impractical to sit in the back seat when there are only two people. But when in a taxi or a stranger’s car, it would be wise to choose the safest seat. A seemingly small choice can lead to a big difference.
Source: GCPNews
