Back in the days before seatbelts were installed in every car, before the majority of Americans were in the habit of buckling up, it is undeniable that the back seat of a car was safer. The rear center seat in particular is where you sat if you valued your life.
Cars weren't very safe at all back then.
Today, advances in vehicle construction, air bags, and seat belts have narrowed the safety gap between the front and back seats... but many Americans still have the mindset that the back seat is safer. Safe enough to not wear a seatbelt, even.
In a new IIHS survey, almost all 1,172 respondents said they always wear a seat belt in the front seat, but only 72 percent always buckle up when they ride in back.
This is unfortunate news, because in a crash, failure to wear a seatbelt can result in higher chances of serious injury and death—and not just your own.
When an unbuckled passenger is seated behind the driver in a collision, the driver's chance of sustaining a fatal injury doubles. In a crash test, the IIHS demonstrated how the loose passenger slams into the back of the driver's seat, causing the seat to fold forward, and the driver's head to impact the steering wheel.
California is one of the few states with a rear-seatbelt law. Always buckle up!
