Question is there a point when FFing is safer than RFing?

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joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
SafER? I don't think so. Fortunately there have been so many advances in car safety in recent years I don't think being FF/adult-in-seatbelt is as UNsafe as it used to be.
 

Baylor

New member
You mean when their were rock hard dashes and metal steering wheels? Lol

What about the rear face vehicle seats. Or side facing seats. I assume they would be less safe than ff for an adult?

auto correct hates me
 

babyherder

Well-known member
Does anyone remember the post on here about the car that had all backwards vehicle seats (except the driver)? It was an idea for a car that never got made.
 

aeormsby

New member
I seem to remember some discussion about the safety of RF seats for adults with the Dodge van that had the rotating 2nd row seats (do they still make those or was it only 1-2 years?).

I'm pretty sure the consensus was/is that everyone would be safer RF in a vehicle (in proper seats - so those captain chairs with headrests & shoulder belts are good, the old 3rd row backwards seats in station wagons with lap belts & low seatbacks not so much). The physics isn't changing just because your bigger (the entire back taking the force instead of the head slinging forward).
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
From a physics/physiological standpoint, everyone would always be better off with their heads not snapping forward. I don't see how, theoretically, forward-facing would ever be safer.

Of course, rear-facing is only available for some, and I'm not actually convinced of the safety of those swivel seats in the Grand Caravan, et. al.

I, personally, don't feel UNsafe riding forward-facing.
 

trippsmom

CPST Instructor
aeormsby said:
I seem to remember some discussion about the safety of RF seats for adults with the Dodge van that had the rotating 2nd row seats (do they still make those or was it only 1-2 years?).

I'm pretty sure the consensus was/is that everyone would be safer RF in a vehicle (in proper seats - so those captain chairs with headrests & shoulder belts are good, the old 3rd row backwards seats in station wagons with lap belts & low seatbacks not so much). The physics isn't changing just because your bigger (the entire back taking the force instead of the head slinging forward).

If I remember correctly, they had to be locked in the standard ff position while the vehicle was in motion. I think?
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
trippsmom said:
If I remember correctly, they had to be locked in the standard ff position while the vehicle was in motion. I think?

The Grand Caravan seats are allowed to be locked RF when in motion for adult/non-child-restrained passengers.
 

penguingrooves

Active member
i was curious for 3 reasons:

- (like baylor said,) is RFing safer for anyone regardless of age?
- based on the growth chart and genetics, it's very possible that my kids can RF in middle school with a swedish seat. (very tempted to use it until they grow out of it... hah!! heck, i can technically use a frontier.)
- when i met the foonf, chris mentioned how clek will release the crash test data which showed that FFing performed better than RFing with a six-year-old dummy. i don't know the details about what was better, though i can't imagine the head excursion would be less in FF despite foonf's crumple zone technology.

on a side note, i should check out this grand caravan. oh, why must automobiles be so dangerous? sigh...
 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician
Re: the foonf, Pixels (our go-to FMVSS guru) has addressed that before. I believe there are some numbers that are always/typically better forward-facing than rear-facing. I want to say it's chest loads? That doesn't negate the fact that it's always preferable to have the shell of the seat absorb crash forces, which is what happens rear-facing.

But as has been said, although rear-facing is safer, that doesn't make forward-facing unsafe. At some point everyone has to turn around. At what point that happens will depend on many factors.
 

safeinthecar

Moderator - CPS Technician
I believe there are some numbers that are always/typically better forward-facing than rear-facing.

Yes, this. I saw a documentary about a guy named John Stapp who pioneered the field of crash physics. Chest G's are typically higher rfing than ffing, BUT...The human body can tolerate more than triple the G forces rfing.
 

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