While you may find it relaxing, resting your feet on the dashboard can cause a serious car accident injury.
If you do, stop doing it now. While it may not seem like a very dangerous thing to do, but keeping your feet on the dashboard while sitting in the passenger seat can cause severe injuries in event of a crash. You might find it very relaxing, especially when you are on a long tiring trip, but safety experts strongly advise against doing this. In this post, we will consider why you should never rest your feet on the dashboard.
Why it Can be Dangerous?
Many of us keep warning our kids about the dangers of putting their feet up on the dashboard while riding in the vehicle’s passenger seat, but they seem to forget all this once they grow up. More often than not, you come across teens and adults resting their feet comfortably on the dashboard as the vehicle speeds down the highway. It is important to realize that this simple act can cause serious injuries. Here are some of them:
Windshield trauma: One of the most obvious threats that a passenger riding with his/her feet up is the risk of his/her legs going straight through the windshield in event of a crash. There have been many cases where passengers have had their legs broken or amputated as a result of this.
Low-speed accidents: Even if the accident is traveling at a low speed, a passenger with his/her feet rested on the dash is more likely to suffer injuries than other vehicle occupant. A crash impact at 30 mph or less may cause minimal damage to the vehicle, but it can still cause the airbags to deploy. This increases the risk of injury to the passenger with feet on the dashboard.
Seatbelt injuries: We all know that a seatbelt can save us from severe injuries in event of a crash. However, it is only useful when it is worn properly and you are seated in the right position. Resting your feet on the dashboard changes the position of your seatbelt and can cause you to slide forward upon impact. This can greatly increase the chances of internal injuries and broken ribs. A passenger is also more likely to sustain spinal injuries in the crash.
Airbag injuries: While airbags are designed to prevent injuries and save lives, they are effective only when the passenger is sitting upright. If the passenger’s feet are on the dashboard, the sudden deployment of the airbag can force the passenger’s knees upward, pushing the legs towards the chest and face.
Serious Car Accident Injury
If you or a loved one have suffered a serious car accident injury do to the negligence of another driver, contact Willens & Baez for a FREE and private consultation. Call us today at (312) 957-4166 or fill out our online contact form.
We understand that an injury case has the potential to take over a person’s life, making it difficult to move forward. People turn to us for the dedicated, caring help they require, regardless of the type of accident they were in or the type of injury sustained.
