Head Rests

A vehicle's head rest (or restraint) can drastically reduce whiplash injuries in the event of an accident. However, it must be positioned correctly. Many people set the headrest too low; in this position, the head is flipped back over the top of the headrest during a crash, causing severe neck injuries, rather than preventing them.

The centre of the headrest should coincide directly with the back of the occupant's head. A good guide is to raise the head rest so that the top of the restraint is level with the top of the occupant's head, or at least no lower than eye level.