How to position your car seat

Do you lean forward when you drive? Does your carseat live in a reclining position? A new study from the Medical College of Wisconsin suggests these positions may be the reasons why soft tissue injury is sustained during a whiplash event.

The study used computer modeling to simulate rear-end accidents. Measurements of the position of each spinal segment at the neck were taken. Investigators then compared that data to previously established measurements of healthy necks (of real people!) to identify exactly where the headrest -- or backrest, it's the same -- should be to avoid damage to soft tissue in the neck. The study's investigator, Dr. Brian Stemper, Ph.D. says your headrest should be no more than 6cm, or about 2.5" away from the back of your head, to keep soft tissue from being injured in the event of a rear-end collison.

For most of us this will mean we should adjust the seat back forward. The key to the adjustment is to not recline the seat, rather tilt it toward your body, so that it nearly touches the back of your head when you are positioned as you normally drive. So, taking your body back to meet the back of the seat doesn't count, because you are likely to be leaning forward during the driving process, and because posture problems such as kyphosis lift the upper torso and head away from the back rest.

For a safer holiday driving experience, take a few moments to figure out where your backrest should be and adjust it so that it is never more than 2.5" away from the back of your head.