Many people drive their cars without any passengers most of the time — on their commute to work, for example — and so accidents tend to involve people in the front seat. This is why a lot of safety technology items, such as airbags, are used in the front.
However, riding in the back seat tends to move one a bit farther away from the impact point in an accident. Does this mean that it’s safer to ride in the back? If you’re a passenger and you can choose between that front passenger seat and the back, what should you pick?
The times are changing
This certainly used to be true. It’s largely why children are supposed to ride in the back. Those seats are seen as the safest and, if you still have an older car, that may be true even today. The back seat offers more padding, protection and distance, all of which can reduce the odds of a fatal injury.
However, the times are changing as technology improves. As noted above, a lot of the focus lately has been on increasing front-seat safety for drivers. This means that the back may have fewer safety features and actually be more dangerous in a modern vehicle. This is important to consider, especially for parents who want to ensure that everyone is equally safe when the whole family is riding in the car together.
Have you been injured?
No matter what vehicle you own or where you’re sitting, you could get injured when another driver makes a mistake. If you do, you need to know if you have a right to financial compensation for your losses.