Chicago, Illinois, is known for heavy, bustling traffic. As a result, motor vehicle accidents aren’t all that uncommon. Cars have different rankings as to how safe they’ll keep you in the event of an accident, but most of those ratings are based on the driver’s safety. The fact of the matter is statistics on injuries and survival rates of passengers look much different than the standard safety rating.
Why are passengers more at risk of being injured?
In many motor vehicle accidents, you’re depending on the driver’s reflexes and instincts to keep you safe. As a result, the driver may take a turn or do something that can put passengers in both the front and back seats at risk for serious injuries.
However, passengers in the backseat may be more at risk of getting injured. This is due in part to the way that cars are typically manufactured.
Why are backseat passengers more likely to be injured?
When you’re sitting in the driver’s seat or front passenger’s seat, the seat belts tighten when the car senses a quick pull (like you’re moving forward in your seat. They also tighten when the front and side airbags deploy.
In addition, both the driver and front side passenger have side and front airbags. In the backseat, it’s a different story.
There are no safety mechanisms on the seat belt, and it’s rare that airbags are built into the back of the front seats. This can lead to backseat passengers making direct contact with the vehicle’s interior, sometimes multiple times during a collision, leading to multiple injuries.
While the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is petitioning manufacturers to make these changes, backseat passengers are still getting injured at alarming rates. If you believe that you’ve been injured as a result of a manufacturer oversight, reach out to an attorney today.