OT Are rear seat head restraints required on American cars?
If so, when did the requirement start?
I saw such a car yesterday, I think for the first time.
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7 years ago
OT Are rear seat head restraints required
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7 years ago
Not sure, but all my cars since the 2007 model had them.
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7 years ago
Our '99 ForeRunner has 'em .
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7 years ago
Head Restraints are covered extensively in Vehicle Safety Standard 202, published in 2000.
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They were invented in 1921 and according to Wikipedia, became mandatory in 1969. I have not read the article in it's entirety, so I do not know if they specifically state the requirement years for front vs. rear. I'll leave that reading to you.
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7 years ago
Well I'm sure the law didn't require that. It may be still optional. I hope so because I never have anyone in the back seat, and I'd rather not have anything sticking up above the current seat.
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7 years ago
That seems fair. I just found your post, but can't read the url until tomorrow. Thansk.
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7 years ago
Changed my mind. It sure is long. Thank goodness for Search.
"The proposal would require rear outboard head restraints" I think "outboard" means they have to hold their heads out the window in order to restrain them.
"The benefits of increasing the height of head restraints are estimated to be: .....4,672 whiplash injuries reduced in the rear seat"
"Average costs per vehicle are estimated to be: $4.21 in front seats $3.61 in rear seats for vehicles with rear head restraints $12.34 in rear seats for vehicles with no rear head restraints" I guess this is about increasing the height.
Why all this talk about money. Aha, it's a "PRELIMINARY ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT AND REGULATORY FLEXIBILITY ANALYSIS"
Very interesting.
I know I'm only one case, but I went to summer school in HS and got a ride home, and I sat in the rear seat and we were bumped by another student, and my head went so far back I was sure I felt the rear deck (underneath the rear window) hit the back of my head. But that would have been impossible. Certainly no head restraint in 1963 (and the car was not new). I guess I just hit the seat, but I thought I was too tall for that. I don't know, but my neck was never sore, no whiplash.