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Head restraint backset during routine automobile driving: drivers usually exceed the recommended guidelines
Jarrod A J Shugg1, Kyle Vernest, James P Dickey
1Joint Biomechanics Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.
Traffic Injury Prevention
|April 7, 2011
Summary
Most drivers maintain a consistent head restraint distance while driving, but this distance often exceeds safety guidelines, potentially increasing whiplash risk. Turns, especially right turns, significantly increase this backset distance.
Area of Science:
- Automotive safety engineering
- Biomechanics of injury prevention
Background:
- Head restraint backset distance is crucial for occupant protection, particularly in rear-end collisions.
- Previous research on head restraint backset has largely excluded real-world driving conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To measure head restraint backset distance during routine automobile driving.
- To evaluate how specific driving tasks (turning, stopping, starting, lane changes) affect this distance.
Main Methods:
- Continuous measurement of head-to-restraint distance using an ultrasonic system during city driving.
- Documentation of specific driving maneuvers via video camera.
- Inclusion of 14 subjects driving a defined route with varied road types and minor tasks.
Main Results:
- Average head-to-restraint distance was 78.1 mm (SD 24.8 mm), with no significant variation across driving areas (residential, thruway, highway).
- Head restraint backsets were significantly larger during right turns (93.6 mm; SD 34.8 mm) compared to other tasks (p < .001).
- No significant difference in backset distance was observed between male and female drivers.
Conclusions:
- Most drivers maintained a consistent head-to-restraint distance, influenced by individual posture.
- 12 out of 14 subjects exceeded recommended safety guidelines (NHTSA, FMVSS), suggesting potential whiplash risk.
- Driving maneuvers, particularly turns, led to increased head-to-restraint backset distances.
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