In an effort toreduce the number of whiplash injuries from rear-end crashes, the U.S.
This is becausethe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will require headrestraints to be higher and closer to the backs of the heads of a vehicle'sfront seat occupants. While this is a U.S. regulation, it's unlikely thatCanada will required less useful head restraints, so we'll simply get the newU.S. standards by default.
Considerationwas given to upgrading the safety level of the head restraints in the back seat,but NHTSA decided against it, arguing that the incidence of rear-seat whiplashwas so low that it didn't make the enormous extra cost feasible.
NHTSAAdministrator Dr. Jeffrey Runge explained that the department's analysis showedthat 90 percent of the time there's nobody in the back seat of vehicles, andwhen there is someone it's usually children, who don't need extended headrestraints because they're shorter than adults.
There are alreadyissues with rear head restraints restricting visibility through the rear windowof some cars, and making them taller would only exacerbate that.
ExtrapolatingNHTSA figures on the incidence of whiplash injuries in theU.S. to Canada
Runge estimatesthat the new head restraints will prevent 16,831 such injuries in theU.S. Canada
The benefit ofthese new head restraints comes from the fact that they will stop people'sheads from snapping back so far when the vehicle is hit from behind.
It's not clearhow many people won't appreciate having the head restraints so high and soclose, since studies have shown that most occupants don't adjust current headrestraints to do the most good.
In general, thecar companies support this decision. Furthermore, they were able to convinceNHTSA not to require non-removable head restraints since they tend to make itharder or even impossible to fold seats down.
NHTSA alsowanted to legislate even less room between an occupant's head and the headrestthan the new law will require, but agreed to allow five more mm of spacebecause the car companies maintained that consumers would be uncomfortable.
Runge made thepoint that the five mm ''won't make any difference to safety,'' adding that anystandard is an improvement because there is no standard under the current rule.
NHTSA's new headrestraint rule includes a new test to ensure that head restraints won't movewhen force is applied, particularly during a crash, so automakers will have tomake sure their systems lock in place to pass the test.
This is becausethe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will require headrestraints to be higher and closer to the backs of the heads of a vehicle'sfront seat occupants. While this is a U.S. regulation, it's unlikely thatCanada will required less useful head restraints, so we'll simply get the newU.S. standards by default.
Considerationwas given to upgrading the safety level of the head restraints in the back seat,but NHTSA decided against it, arguing that the incidence of rear-seat whiplashwas so low that it didn't make the enormous extra cost feasible.
NHTSAAdministrator Dr. Jeffrey Runge explained that the department's analysis showedthat 90 percent of the time there's nobody in the back seat of vehicles, andwhen there is someone it's usually children, who don't need extended headrestraints because they're shorter than adults.
There are alreadyissues with rear head restraints restricting visibility through the rear windowof some cars, and making them taller would only exacerbate that.
ExtrapolatingNHTSA figures on the incidence of whiplash injuries in the
Runge estimatesthat the new head restraints will prevent 16,831 such injuries in the
The benefit ofthese new head restraints comes from the fact that they will stop people'sheads from snapping back so far when the vehicle is hit from behind.
It's not clearhow many people won't appreciate having the head restraints so high and soclose, since studies have shown that most occupants don't adjust current headrestraints to do the most good.
In general, thecar companies support this decision. Furthermore, they were able to convinceNHTSA not to require non-removable head restraints since they tend to make itharder or even impossible to fold seats down.
NHTSA alsowanted to legislate even less room between an occupant's head and the headrestthan the new law will require, but agreed to allow five more mm of spacebecause the car companies maintained that consumers would be uncomfortable.
Runge made thepoint that the five mm ''won't make any difference to safety,'' adding that anystandard is an improvement because there is no standard under the current rule.
NHTSA's new headrestraint rule includes a new test to ensure that head restraints won't movewhen force is applied, particularly during a crash, so automakers will have tomake sure their systems lock in place to pass the test.