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NHTSA Wants Better Head Restraints |
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Feb. 23, 2001
The lack of an adequate head restraint may have contributed to the death of NASCAR racing champion Dale Earnhardt, just as inadequate head restraints cause thousands of deaths and injuries to everyday motorists. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing new standards that would change that. NHTSA wants to raise the U.S. standard to match what's already in effect in Europe. Basically, it comes down to increasing the height of head restraints and limiting the distance between the person's head and the restraint, what's generally called the "backset." The new standard would also establish new strength requirements. There's plenty of room for improvement. Ninety-five percent of 1999 American cars and light trucks failed to win a "good" rating for head-restraint design. Volvo and Saab are among the few models sold in the U.S. to consistently win high ratings in tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Poorly-design head restraints can contribute to whiplash, one of the most common injuries in auto accidents, rear-end collisions. Whiplash involves violent movement of the head and neck and it costs the insurance inudstry about $7 billion a year, according to the institute. Although it's seldom fatal, whiplash can cause serious problems over an extended period. Many victims complain of neck pain, stiffness, dizziness and shoulder pain. If NHTSA's proposed new standards are adopted, it will be several years before the results start to show up in U.S. cars and trucks. Until then, consumers can make sure their car's head restraint is properly adjusted. Experts say the top of the head restraint should be roughly even with the top of your ears. Also, if possible, the head restrain should be adjusted so that it is a close to the back of your head as possible. Distances of more than four inches have been associated with rising injury rates. As usual, the Internet is full of supposed "cures," including pads that fit over existing head restraints, supposedly making them safer and more comfortable. These devices have not been tested and their effectiveness is unproven, experts say. Want to see how your car's head restraints measure up? Check the insurance institute's Web site. |
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