Is the front passenger seat the worst place to be in a crash
Discussion
I'd like to ask for the views of PH members on a matter which has been a source of some contention between myself and a relative. The relative concerned always insists on sitting in the back seats during any journey in a car. The reasoning they offer is that the front passenger has the lowest chance of survival in a frontal collision, and the most serious collisions tend to be frontal. I have not seen any studies which say the front passenger has a lower chance of survival in frontal collisions than the driver. Is anyone on PH aware of any such studies?
It’s their way of saying they don’t like your driving.
If you are going to hit something head on it’s best to be in the back. That said if you are in something with a top crash rating the front probably isn’t much worse unless it’s a huge smash in which case you are probably into multiple angle collisions as the car spins around hitting stuff until it stops.
If you are going to hit something head on it’s best to be in the back. That said if you are in something with a top crash rating the front probably isn’t much worse unless it’s a huge smash in which case you are probably into multiple angle collisions as the car spins around hitting stuff until it stops.
There is no simple answer to this, but there is some general information that will be applicable. If I had to give an answer, it would be that adults are generally safer in the front, but much of this will depend on the vehicle. Injuries related to intrusion have been greatly reduced over the years due to stronger passenger compartments.
One problem is that the seatbelts in the rear are not as good as those in the front. It has only been in the last few years (5-6ish?) that rear belts are equipped with pretensioners and load-limiters. These have been in the front for years and coupled with the frontal airbag and possibly some anti-submarining devices, the level or restraint is much better in the front.
The other thing affecting injury risk is anthropometry and age. The elderly are over-represented in accidents, they would benefit from adaptive restraints. A taller, heavier occupant in the rear (say 95th %ile) may be less well restrained in the rear by the belts if they are not as advanced as the belts in the front. There are plenty of other factors, but these are the first ones that spring to my mind.
Conversely, children are safer in the rear.
One problem is that the seatbelts in the rear are not as good as those in the front. It has only been in the last few years (5-6ish?) that rear belts are equipped with pretensioners and load-limiters. These have been in the front for years and coupled with the frontal airbag and possibly some anti-submarining devices, the level or restraint is much better in the front.
The other thing affecting injury risk is anthropometry and age. The elderly are over-represented in accidents, they would benefit from adaptive restraints. A taller, heavier occupant in the rear (say 95th %ile) may be less well restrained in the rear by the belts if they are not as advanced as the belts in the front. There are plenty of other factors, but these are the first ones that spring to my mind.
Conversely, children are safer in the rear.
There was probably a period where most cars had driver airbags but not passenger airbags when it was true to say that the front passenger seat was the most dangerous place to be. Looking at NCAP results, it's usually safer than the drivers seat these days (because there's less hard things around the passenger's knees).
It's harder to compare the front to the rear because NCAP don't test cars with adults in the rear. You'd certainly be less likely to suffer cabin intrusion in a frontal accident if you're in the rear, but you'd also have no airbag to help manage the deceleration and, as someone said above, the rear seatbelts are often more limited (lacking pretensioners and load limiters) so it could go either way. I guess in a smaller car there's the risk of rear seat passengers hitting their heads on the front seats as well.
It's harder to compare the front to the rear because NCAP don't test cars with adults in the rear. You'd certainly be less likely to suffer cabin intrusion in a frontal accident if you're in the rear, but you'd also have no airbag to help manage the deceleration and, as someone said above, the rear seatbelts are often more limited (lacking pretensioners and load limiters) so it could go either way. I guess in a smaller car there's the risk of rear seat passengers hitting their heads on the front seats as well.
Melchett said:
Conversely, children are safer in the rear.
I'd have thought that would depend very much on the situation and the car. If the child is in a booster using the main belt (which is how children spend most of their childhood), load limiters on the belts could be very important and many cars don't have them at the rear. I suspect the biggest risk to having children in the front seat is very small children in rear-facing seats, and people failing to disable the airbag.
kambites said:
It's harder to compare the front to the rear because NCAP don't test cars with adults in the rear.
That's not correct, NCAP use a 5th percentile adult female on the rear seat in the full width test. This test is more demanding on the rear seatbelts than the offset frontal crash and is the reason behind (outboard only!) rear belts being equipped with pretensioners and load limiters. Belts in the centre rear rarely have pretensioners and load limiters, this is the worst place to be in a car. Sigh! Gone are the days when I used to sleep on the parcel shelf, in the rear passenger footwell, in the boot of estate cars and in I were in the front passenger seat, my seatbelt would be my Dad holding is arm out to restrain me! 
Even better the seatbelts on my Dads Volvo 264GLE were permanently plugged in to stop the annoying seat belt reminder clicker.
Even better the seatbelts on my Dads Volvo 264GLE were permanently plugged in to stop the annoying seat belt reminder clicker.
I’ve heard this as well, but I don’t know why or how I came to hear it. Maybe it’s one of those urban myths that have perpetuated for decades, from a time when cars were less safe and the passenger seat being the most vulnerable.
I do remember the episode of Friends though where Ross referred to the passenger seat as “the death seat”, so that theory has been around for a long time!
With todays crash protection I wouldn’t think there is any science behind that theory though.
I do remember the episode of Friends though where Ross referred to the passenger seat as “the death seat”, so that theory has been around for a long time!
With todays crash protection I wouldn’t think there is any science behind that theory though.
Depends very much on the car, what you hit/hits you and how you hit it/it hits you.
I knew an absolute cretin who experienced wheeltuck in a Beetle and the rear area of the car became a very effective trash compactor. Fortunately no-one sat there as it would have been life-changing injuries at best. But he and his front seat passenger walked away.
Before Mini-D came along I looked into where to fit the baby seat (on the back seat), and the general consensus was centre is best if that is an option, but as it rarely is then passenger side as you are more likely to get a massive smack to the right of the car than to the left; i.e. side-swipes are taps, people T-boning from the left are largely avoidable if you are paying attention, but a "give way to the right"-tard blindly piling across a roundabout so fast that they weren't visible when you entered will be T-boning you with significant force.
I knew an absolute cretin who experienced wheeltuck in a Beetle and the rear area of the car became a very effective trash compactor. Fortunately no-one sat there as it would have been life-changing injuries at best. But he and his front seat passenger walked away.
Before Mini-D came along I looked into where to fit the baby seat (on the back seat), and the general consensus was centre is best if that is an option, but as it rarely is then passenger side as you are more likely to get a massive smack to the right of the car than to the left; i.e. side-swipes are taps, people T-boning from the left are largely avoidable if you are paying attention, but a "give way to the right"-tard blindly piling across a roundabout so fast that they weren't visible when you entered will be T-boning you with significant force.
Melchett said:
kambites said:
It's harder to compare the front to the rear because NCAP don't test cars with adults in the rear.
That's not correct, NCAP use a 5th percentile adult female on the rear seat in the full width test. This test is more demanding on the rear seatbelts than the offset frontal crash and is the reason behind (outboard only!) rear belts being equipped with pretensioners and load limiters. Belts in the centre rear rarely have pretensioners and load limiters, this is the worst place to be in a car. Regarding children in the back of cars, it's worth noting that almost all rear-facing child seats specify a minimum clearance between the back of the child seat and the back of the front seat and in small cars people often don't adhere to this. In that situation, it may well be safer even for a baby in a rear facing seat to be in the front rather than the back (as long as the airbag is disabled).
Speaking from a position of zero expertise, it seems to me that the front passenger seat is far better at holding someone in place than a rear, probably bench, seat and that there are more airbags in the front than the back. So I'd rather be there I think. Also, in most cars in the back you're nearer the window/side of the car as the two front seats are set slightly inboard to allow them to recline, and you're also nearer the front seat than you are the dashboard. Also, if legroom in the rear is tight you could have your feet under the front seat, and any severe accident would seem more likely to result in leg/ankle/foot injuries than in the front where there are fewer things to catch your legs on.
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