Car accidents can occur anytime, anywhere, and even to defensive motorists with safe driving practices. When met with a casualty, you may get blindsided or notice it coming and have a chance to perform. What you do in those few moments can make a difference in the severity of the crash and may save your life.
Safe driving practices can stop many car accidents, but what if you’re not the driver? How can you remain safe as a passenger?
The bright side is, well acquainted with the proper manner of sitting in a car can reduce your chances of grave injury. Read on to know what you can do before, during, and after a car crash that can help you survive as a passenger.
Stay in a Straight-Up Posture in the Car
Sitting straight in the seat in the car, as you would in a chair, is the safest position in the car for any passenger.
Sit with your feet splayed on the bottom. Rest your back leaning across as much of the seat as possible.
Car manufacturers design airbags and additional safety feature assuming that all passengers sit in a straight posture. While sitting with your feet on the dashboard, legs crossed, reclining in the backseat, even the airbags will not protect you.
Being a passenger, you should avoid placing your feet on the dashboard and sit straight. Slumping, slouching, or bracing against the car may lead to severe injuries because your body is out of conformation. Sitting straight will reduce your chance of getting an auto injury.
Always Wear a Seatbelt
If you are pondering how to survive a car crash as a passenger, the foremost thing is wearing a seatbelt. Wear your seatbelt even if it is the shortest travel. It is more important than any other safety measure.
Wearing a seatbelt becomes a must if you do not want to get injured by the airbags! Seatbelts secure you and lower the risks of serious injuries.
Have Your Headrest Adjusted
Grave neck and head injuries can also get prevented by headrests. Adjust your headrest suitably so that the effect of whiplash and neck sprain gets lowered. That can secure you from dizziness or headaches.
Your head should be just above the top of the headrest. If you get caught in an accident, the headrest will prevent your head from striking back and forth.
Store Loose Objects in a Safe Place
Loose objects are no less than a bullet in a car crash. Your precious belongings like a laptop, mobile phone, water bottle, or canned goods can cause massive damage in a car accident.
To prevent such damage during a car crash, keep aside your cell phone, groceries, or other goods securely behind your driver’s seat.
Opt for a Safe Car to Travel
Year after year, cars get safer and sound with new security features instilled, like lane-departure warnings and automatic braking. They also make advancements and function more efficiently on crash test ratings.
If you are the one who is buying a car, focus more on safety. Investigate safety specifications and check official crash testing. Whatever car you’re traveling, make sure you know the regular and discretional safety features incorporating where airbags are.
Safest Seat Location – The Rear Middle Seat
The rear seat is better guarded from head-on blows than the front seats. But, the rear seats are still in peril of side collisions. That’s why the middle back seat is the safest place since it’s in the midst of the car.
However, wearing a lap and shoulder belt makes this seat safe for the passenger. Backseat passengers without seatbelts are prone to tremendous damage and getting killed in car crashes. Without it, the middle back seat passenger could get tossed out through the car’s windshield.
Is Sitting in Front Seats Safe?
Automobile companies have introduced many features to enhance the safety of the front seat through the years. Both active and passive automation lowers the odds of grave damage or fatality to front-seat passengers.
The active features include a forward crash alert, electronic stability control, and automatic emergency braking. Passive techniques lowering the possibility of serious injury comprise the old hooks of airbags and seat belts.
In the modern day, within the milliseconds of a crash, the airbag gets triggered with the advancement of technology. However, that benefits only the front-seat passengers. Also, front-seat seatbelts have more enhanced features like pre-tensioners which instantly stiffen at the moment of collision. Back seats do not consist of such specifications.
What If You Get Stuck in a Car After a Crash?
The right tool can assist you in escaping if you get trapped in a car. How you react to an accident can impact life and death. Presumably, you will not instantly feel hurt after a crash, which is due to shock or adrenaline rush. You may want to move, but it is best to halt and collect yourself and observe the physical situation of the car. Some wounds can get aggravated by motions.
You may need to stay still to prevent neck injury from getting worse. If you are in a safe place, staying where you are can be your best option. Deep breaths can help you calm yourself. Then you can peek around and sense your physical location.
If your car is on fire, you must move out immediately but safely. Likewise, if you encounter yourself on a busy road where you may get hit, you should try to get out, if at all possible.
That seatbelt that rescued your life during the crash can evolve as an entanglement later. Possessing equipment that allows you to cut seatbelts or tools to break windows can help you to get out of the car fast.
Escape tools that can equip on your keychain or get kept in an easily accessible place can help. The metal attached to the headrest can also help you to break the window if you do not have rescue tools.
However, you cannot depend on that because not all headrests are removable or strong enough to break the window. Consider buying an escape tool if you do not have it.
Things to Do After a Car Crash
Even after the accident has waned, you might still be at risk. Follow the steps mentioned below and stay safe:
- Call for help: Call for an emergency to get a medical lookout as quickly as feasible. Inform your family or friends for their assistance and support.
- Check if the car is safe: Make sure it is safe to remain in during the accident has occurred. Safeguard yourself from any other automobile crashes that can cause harm. Look out for any damages and call 911 for help.
- Use first-aid: As soon as you find any injury, use medical aid. Make sure the car gets loaded with a medical kit for such crises.
- Avoid the risk: If you think that vehicle is dangerous, get out of it quickly. Look for help or call someone who might help you out. Always keep rescue tools near the driver’s seat.
Conclusion
Car crashes can happen anytime to anyone. So be it a driver or a passenger, you should always get prepared. Always have a safety medical kit and a car tool near the driver’s seat.
Always take precautions, wear a seatbelt and keep your headrests adjusted.
If, in an unfortunate situation, you get injured in a car crash, stay calm and immediately call 911 for help. Check on the well-being of other passengers and the driver as well.
Report the incident to the police, your insurance company, and the DMV, and consult an attorney if needed. Think and act quickly rather than panicking, which can increase your chances of survival. It’s always better to prevent accidents and take precautions already.
FAQs
What is the first thing to do after a car mishap?
Always call for medical aid and look out for your injuries. Neglecting them can cause severe health problems in the future.
Why should a passenger wear seat belts if the car gets equipped with airbags?
Seat belts and airbags are complementary: an airbag without a seat belt can cause grave damage and even death. A passenger must use a seat belt to avoid severe injury. Moreover, sporting seat belts at all terms is compulsory according to seat belt laws.
What to do if you are about to crash in a car?
Call for an emergency as fast as possible. To ensure safety, dial 911 and call for help. Do not wait in such situations.
Which seat is safest in the car for a passenger?
The safest seat in a car is the back middle seat. If you are not driving, choose this one for safer travel.
What is the most suitable position to be in a car accident?
The safest position is sitting straight. Keep your back resting on the seat and your foot straight on the floor. The airbags are developed in a manner presuming that everyone sits straight.
