Adult in backseat without headrests?

elle7715

Member
I always ride in the backseat with the kids when DH drives. It's a '96 Chrysler LHS without headrests in the back. I sit behind DH, DD is RF in the center, and DS is RF behind the front passenger seat. Since both kids are RFing it's just easier for me to be back there. If I sit in the front I'm most likely going to end up turning around in the seat to take care of whatever is going on in the backseat. We have the car seats the way they are so I don't have to use the lap belt. So I'm surprised I never thought of the headrest issue. I'm tall so the seat back doesn't even come above my shoulders. What would you do?
 
ADS

An Aurora

Senior Community Member
I wouldn't ride without one, either. We were in a very minor accident (we were stopped at a light & were rearended by a car going 35 mph--the car was totalled but it didn't even scratch our bumper) but I had wicked whiplash that required months of chiropractic care. If it was that bad after a minor accident with headrests & no damage to our car, I can't imagine how it would have been without the headrests. My mom's Taurus scares me too, because the back peice of glass slopes so that it's only a couple of inches from your head. That's one time that I love having an SUV.
 

Victorious4

Senior Community Member
Every vehicle occupant needs adequate head support at least up to eye level to prevent spinal injury such as "whiplash" -- if you find yourself needing to turn around, pulling yourself out of proper seatbelt positioning, I would insist that the driver simply find a safe place to pull over.... If there isn't a safe place to pull over & baby needs to see your face, I might just try reclining the seatback temporarily, but only everso briefly as you could still submarine down/out/through the seatbelt in a crash :eek: While I do hate to let babies cry, a moving vehicle is absolutely not an acceptable place/time to do what we'd normally do to help baby: sometimes ya just gotta get creative to stay safe in the car & sometimes that means just talking baby through a cry until you can find a safe place to pull over! :sorry!: Providing baby with your soothing voice is *not* the same as CIO, not when the alternative could mean the ICU or cemetery :(
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
I wouldn't do it... I've been in the teeniest of little fender benders (like 2mph in freeway traffic) with inadequate head restraint (1989 Mercury Topaz...), and I was even a young springy 17 yo, and I hurt for weeeeeeks afterwards. The backseat is overall safer in a more dramatic crash, but since minor fender benders are way more commonplace, I'd choose the spot with the headrest if there was an option).

:)
 

Loves2sing

New member
I wouldn't do it! I was in a VERY minor accident inmy Dad's truck when I was 13. (Rear end, the bumpers weren't even scratched!) It did have a head restraint, but because of my positioning, my head smacked the window and side column. I have major neck issues because of this. Whiplash is NOT a game you want to play. I have been at a Chiropractor at least once a week, and up to 3 times a week depending on how my neck is doing at the time, for the last 12 years. Expensive, pain in the butt, but I can't do without it. I practically seize up. And that was with a completely minor accident. I wouldn't even want to think about what a major accident could be like!
 

musicmaj

New member
Someone needs to invent a safe head restraint add on for cars without any, and also for very tall people whose torsos leave them heads over the existing head restaint.

My dh is so long torsoed that he is always over the head restraints and is left with no protection.
 

lynsgirl

New member
I wouldn't do it! I was in a VERY minor accident inmy Dad's truck when I was 13. (Rear end, the bumpers weren't even scratched!) It did have a head restraint, but because of my positioning, my head smacked the window and side column. I have major neck issues because of this. Whiplash is NOT a game you want to play. I have been at a Chiropractor at least once a week, and up to 3 times a week depending on how my neck is doing at the time, for the last 12 years. Expensive, pain in the butt, but I can't do without it. I practically seize up. And that was with a completely minor accident. I wouldn't even want to think about what a major accident could be like!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: When I was 18, I got T-boned going through a green light by a teenager running a red light. I was driving my g'ma's Cadillac, though, so I fared better than if I'd been in my (older) teeny Chevy Beretta :p . Ok, that's off-track, but my point in giving you two thumbs up is that my head smacked hard into the driver's door window and my neck has been majorly messed up since then. It was far from a minor collision (I'll spare you other destructive details :p ) and the Cadillac was definitely totalled. I'm all for side airbags and while I won't refuse to ride in something without them, I definitely have them on my "must-have" list when purchasing any newer vehicle.
 

lynsgirl

New member
Someone needs to invent a safe head restraint add on for cars without any, and also for very tall people whose torsos leave them heads over the existing head restaint.

My dh is so long torsoed that he is always over the head restraints and is left with no protection.

My brothers are both 6' 7" tall and even *with* head restraints, they're usually over the top of them. Not that either one of them bothers to use them :mad: (i.e. put them above the lowest position). My dad is 6', but has a very long torso and he never puts up his head restraint and it drives me NUTS. He says it bugs him having it up behind his head. This from a guy who almost died from a major car crash (where we were all totally unrestrained) when I was 4. Grrrr.
 

mommycat

Well-known member
:(

I've been worrying over this a lot lately. (Since coming here, imagine that!)

I commute on a 15 passanger van, and the seats come up to around the bottom of my neck - and I am short. The two front seats are full back seats, so the two drivers are fine. The rest of us... (Not to mention all the people who don't bother to buckle up despite it being in our "contract" that all riders must be restrained.) I don't really have a choice in this. There is no way I could handle driving myself, this is the most convenient, reliable and cost effective option. I hope it being a bigger vehicle would help reduce the damage, but I don't know. I guess I will keep hoping we are never in an accident. :(

I agree they should totally provide (tested!) add-on head restraints, as well as adult versions of boosters or belt positioners for us short people...
 

wondering1

New member
Does anyone have information on how to properly adjust the headrest? We have the kind that push forward in an accident in a 1994 Camry. Should the part of the headrest that pushes forward the most be in the position at eye level for the driver or something like that?
 

Suzibeck

Active member
Someone needs to invent a safe head restraint add on for cars without any, and also for very tall people whose torsos leave them heads over the existing head restaint.

:yeahthat:

I agree completely! Also to be used in backseats without head rests for anyone. My oldest dd is too tall for any highback booster and before dh got a new car (he had an LHS too and dd's ears were even with the seatback), I had to consider putting her in the front seat with an air bag. Fortunately, he got a new car before we had to do that. I'd love some sort of head restraint that could be used for her in certain situations, well for us too.
 

Yoshi

New member
Years ago- we almost bought a Ford Focus....until I realized there were no rear headrests:confused: :confused: I think it should be a MANDATORY standard feature in EVERY car. What are the auto makers thinking???? I would never sit in a backseat w/out headrests nor would I allow my kid to (I have a teenager as well)
 

mommyto4

New member
I totally agree. Someone needs to invent something for this kind of situation. My minivan has low seat backs and I hate them. My 10 year old is still in a booster, but she will probably be too big within 2-3 years. I don't know what I will do then. Hopefully we will be able to get a new minivan by then. The minivan that we had before this one didn't even have shoulder belts in the back (only lap belts). So when we bought this van, I made sure it had shoulder belts, but didn't think about headrests.:( . Now, I know to look for shoulder belts and headrests.
 

skaterbabs

Well-known member
Lack of head restraints is a huge problem for post car-seat age kids and adults alike. IMO it's much easier to deal with the limitations of a vehicle when kids are secure in car seats and boosters.
 

Loves2sing

New member
Years ago- we almost bought a Ford Focus....until I realized there were no rear headrests:confused: :confused: I think it should be a MANDATORY standard feature in EVERY car. What are the auto makers thinking???? I would never sit in a backseat w/out headrests nor would I allow my kid to (I have a teenager as well)

Which type of Focus were you looking at? My Focus has adjustable head restaints in the back.
 

elle7715

Member
You've all convinced me, I'll move up to the front seat! Hopefully DS won't hate the car so much when he's in a convertible. I can't believe I never thought of it. Actually, the only reason I DID think of it was because I was wondering if an Apex would be an option for us! Then I thought about MY neck. Hmmm.
 

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Forum statistics

Threads
219,655
Messages
2,196,895
Members
13,530
Latest member
onehitko860

You must read your carseat and vehicle owner’s manual and understand any relevant state laws. These are the rules you must follow to restrain your children safely. All opinions at Car-Seat.Org are those of the individual author for informational purposes only, and do not necessarily reflect any policy or position of Carseat Media LLC. Car-Seat.Org makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. If you are unsure about information provided to you, please visit a local certified technician. Before posting or using our website you must read and agree to our TERMS.

Graco is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Britax is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org! Nuna Baby is a Proud Sponsor of Car-Seat.Org!

Please  Support Car-Seat.Org  with your purchases of infant, convertible, combination and boosters seats from our premier sponsors above.
Shop travel systems, strollers and baby gear from Britax, Chicco, Clek, Combi, Evenflo, First Years, Graco, Maxi-Cosi, Nuna, Safety 1st, Diono & more! ©2001-2022 Carseat Media LLC

Top