Sometimes, you just have to put your feet up and relax. This includes long trips spent in the front passenger seat. During these boring times, it’s tempting to kick back and relax by propping your feet up on the dashboard.
You should never give in to that urge, and never let the person riding shotgun do it, either. It’s a dangerous habit that can have dire consequences. Read on to find out exactly why you should never put your feet on the dashboard.
All cars, light trucks, and vans built after 1999 have front airbags that automatically deploy during a frontal collision to protect the occupants’ head and chest from hitting hard surfaces. The airbags will trigger when the vehicle hits the equivalent of a rigid wall while traveling at speeds as low as 10-12 miles per hour. They deploy at speeds of 110-220 miles per hour to ensure they can catch the occupants.
The front passenger airbag is usually stored in the dashboard, the same surface many people riding shotgun like to prop their feet on. To get an idea of what happens when an airbag goes off with feet on the dashboard, you can look up the cases of Georgia native Audra Tatum or Gráinne Kealy of Ireland.
On August 2, 2015, Tatum was riding shotgun with her husband to visit her parents’ home. She propped her feet on the dashboard to make herself comfortable. Her husband warned her about her bad habit, but she assured him that she would put her feet down in time.
When another car pulled in front of her husband without warning, the ensuing T-bone collision triggered the front airbags. The one in the dashboard hurled Tatum’s right leg into her face.
Tatum’s case is not an isolated one. A similar incident cost Gráinne Kealy her forehead, among other things. She was riding with her then-boyfriend on December 16, 2006 when she put her feet on the dashboard to relax. The road was icy and caused their car to skid until it slammed into a wall, triggering the airbags and smashing both of Kealy’s knees into her face.
Audra Tatum suffered a broken nose, a shattered femur, and four different breaks in her ankle. One of her hips got broken in its socket, while her other hip was severely dislocated. Her injuries left her permanently disabled, and she could no longer work as an emergency medical technician.
Gráinne Kealy underwent an even greater ordeal. She broke almost all the bones in her face, lost two teeth, and suffered a brain leak. A few months later, the bone in her forehead developed an infection, forcing medics to remove it. She spent two years without a forehead until she received a ceramic forehead replacement. She also suffered various health issues related to her injuries, such as gallstones and regular headaches.
Both women have shared their tragedies to warn others from making the same mistake. Listen to them and spread the word about breaking the habit of putting feet on the dashboard.
Over the years, scientists have also performed numerous crash tests simulating similar accidents. One example includes a study in Sydney, where they positioned the crash test dummy’s feet on the dashboard.
After the vehicle collided with a wall at around 40 mph, the dummy suffered severe injuries. It slid down the car seat, which placed the seatbelt in a dangerous position. This can cause internal organ damage, and scientists concluded that passengers could also end up paralyzed from the impact.
The next time you find yourself in the front seat, remember to observe the proper sitting position. Air bags and seatbelts work best when you’re sitting upright with your feet firmly on the floor. To reduce the risk of injury, remind every single passenger to observe the following:
If you’re driving, be sure to raise your seat so your eye level is around three inches above the steering wheel.
No, there are currently no laws that prohibit you from sitting in the car with your feet on the dashboard. However, this doesn’t mean you should still risk it. Putting your feet up can cause severe injuries that you might never recover from.
If your body feels restless, it’s best to pull over at the nearest rest area and stretch your legs there. It might add a few more minutes to your travel time, but it’s a small price to pay compared to healing from injuries that could have been avoided by not putting your feet on the dashboard.
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