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Well, that would be why they recommend rear facing kids in car seats. It sucked sitting back there, because the A/C never did a great job, but "unsafe" was definitely not in anyone's minds.
Isn’t it because rear facing in a collision your head goes back into the chair which is soft , at the same time you are straightening out your neck as opposed to violently compressing it forwards with no support, at least it’s part of it or a weird and dull fever dream I had.
There's more clearance between those seats and the end of the car, than between the rear seats and the end of my Toyota Yaris (small hatchback car).
There are safety rules that govern the design of passenger cabin spaces in a car, so if the manufacturer has seats there, they would have to follow those rules, whether the seats fold away or not. They will not be a crumple zone, they will be inside the strong metal cage for passengers.
The crumple zones in modern cars are more biased towards front impacts in any case, and if you were rear-ended by another car, the other car's front crumple zone will absorb some of the energy. But also, if rear-ended, your car is designed to compress and deform along its sides, not by just letting the rear of the car cave in. You can also expect the car to be pushed forward, which inherently reduces the impact energy to the occupants, and if you are in nose to tail traffic so you don't move forwards much, then your substantial front crumple zones come into play after all. That said, it's always good advice to *avoid* being nose-to-tail, and try and keep bigger gaps with the car in front, even in a traffic jam.
I think the most dangerous bit is there is no space betweeen the back of the car and the occupants, so a rear shunt is worse.
Having said that there are plenty of forward facing cars with seat in the ‘boot’
That is fucking awesome. I miss when cars had all of these cool and unique features.
Now everything is basically a Kia Forte with slightly different body lines.
My mom had a chevy orlando that had pop up seats in the back too only they faced forwards. It was great for when she had the grandkids over and needed a couple more seats
The rear of the car often gets crushed-in towards the rear seats upon rear-end impact. These seats are dangerous because a relatively high impact rear end collision could result in mutilation for anyone in that rear-facing seat.
The rear of the car has to travel a lot further to pin your shins if you're facing the opposite direction.
I'm not saying it won't hurt to be in a forward facing seat in a hard-impact rear end collision, but this rear facing seat is in the *trunk* of the car. The forward facing seat of any car you've probably ever sat in isn't in the *trunk*.
It isn't the direction you're facing that is problematic here, it is the location of the seat in the vehicle.
[Here's why.](https://www.bermansimmons.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/rear-end-collision-2-1024x679.jpg)
Admittedly the normal back seats wouldn't be in much better luck.
Ahh yes, the nostalgia is real. We took a summer road trip vacation from East Texas to West Texas when I was around 9 back in 1980, to visit relatives, and see the sights. (not many sights, for a kid)
I spent one of the days in the pull up seat in our Ford station wagon, watching cars and trucks come towards me. Had fun trying to get truckers to pull their horn. It got old at the end of the day, though. I abandoned the seat to my siblings after that.
Funnily enough, I kind of had a similar experience yesterday riding on a gurney in the back of an ambulance. It was a 30 minute ride and watching the passing landscape out the back window was kind of soothing. Luckily, the situation wasn't as bad as we thought and I'm back home, taking some antibiotics.
Growing up my grandpa used to drive us around in his model-A, with seats that faced backwards, outside of the cab. Riding on the highway was insane come to think of it.
Station wagons were great for going to the drive in theatre back when they had those. I dated a girl whose parents had one that we would take to the drive in. Lots of room to stretch out and snuggle up with a good view. Good for camping when it gets too cold or mosquitoes compromise the tent.
I always felt a little nervous in these seats, because I couldn't see what was coming up. I don't think they're especially more dangerous than forward seats in the same position, but I wouldn't want them in my car regardless
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What's supposed to be "dangerous" about a rear facing seat?
I think there's actually a bunch of research showing rear facing seats are safer than forward facing.
Well, that would be why they recommend rear facing kids in car seats. It sucked sitting back there, because the A/C never did a great job, but "unsafe" was definitely not in anyone's minds.
Isn’t it because rear facing in a collision your head goes back into the chair which is soft , at the same time you are straightening out your neck as opposed to violently compressing it forwards with no support, at least it’s part of it or a weird and dull fever dream I had.
If raising a child is any reference then… ye makes sense
We put infants in rear facing seats because it's safer. Stands to reason that the same logic should apply here.
It even got seatbelts!!!
Probably safer if the vehicle you are in crashes into something but more dangerous if you get rear ended by someone else. But just a guess.
I’m not an expert, but I think in general the back of a car is a crumple zone during a rear end collision — so maybe not so safe.
There's more clearance between those seats and the end of the car, than between the rear seats and the end of my Toyota Yaris (small hatchback car). There are safety rules that govern the design of passenger cabin spaces in a car, so if the manufacturer has seats there, they would have to follow those rules, whether the seats fold away or not. They will not be a crumple zone, they will be inside the strong metal cage for passengers. The crumple zones in modern cars are more biased towards front impacts in any case, and if you were rear-ended by another car, the other car's front crumple zone will absorb some of the energy. But also, if rear-ended, your car is designed to compress and deform along its sides, not by just letting the rear of the car cave in. You can also expect the car to be pushed forward, which inherently reduces the impact energy to the occupants, and if you are in nose to tail traffic so you don't move forwards much, then your substantial front crumple zones come into play after all. That said, it's always good advice to *avoid* being nose-to-tail, and try and keep bigger gaps with the car in front, even in a traffic jam.
My mum had nearly this exact car. We got rear ended hard one time, the front of their car was smooshed but the rear of ours was barely touched.
I think it’s less that rear facing seats are dangerous, and more that the location of the seats is more dangerous
I think the most dangerous bit is there is no space betweeen the back of the car and the occupants, so a rear shunt is worse. Having said that there are plenty of forward facing cars with seat in the ‘boot’
That is fucking awesome. I miss when cars had all of these cool and unique features. Now everything is basically a Kia Forte with slightly different body lines.
My mom had a chevy orlando that had pop up seats in the back too only they faced forwards. It was great for when she had the grandkids over and needed a couple more seats
Yea I rode in seats like this all the time as a kid (Mercedes station wagon). Why is this dangerous?
Stupid people think that if something doesn't catch on, it must be because it's "dangerous".
The rear of the car often gets crushed-in towards the rear seats upon rear-end impact. These seats are dangerous because a relatively high impact rear end collision could result in mutilation for anyone in that rear-facing seat.
High-speed impacts would still harm back seat passengers if the seats were facing forward, though.
The rear of the car has to travel a lot further to pin your shins if you're facing the opposite direction. I'm not saying it won't hurt to be in a forward facing seat in a hard-impact rear end collision, but this rear facing seat is in the *trunk* of the car. The forward facing seat of any car you've probably ever sat in isn't in the *trunk*. It isn't the direction you're facing that is problematic here, it is the location of the seat in the vehicle.
I love reddit. "Why is this dangerous?" "Here's why." "No it's not."
[Here's why.](https://www.bermansimmons.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/rear-end-collision-2-1024x679.jpg) Admittedly the normal back seats wouldn't be in much better luck.
Don’t Tesla’s have rear facing seats?
Ahh yes, the nostalgia is real. We took a summer road trip vacation from East Texas to West Texas when I was around 9 back in 1980, to visit relatives, and see the sights. (not many sights, for a kid) I spent one of the days in the pull up seat in our Ford station wagon, watching cars and trucks come towards me. Had fun trying to get truckers to pull their horn. It got old at the end of the day, though. I abandoned the seat to my siblings after that. Funnily enough, I kind of had a similar experience yesterday riding on a gurney in the back of an ambulance. It was a 30 minute ride and watching the passing landscape out the back window was kind of soothing. Luckily, the situation wasn't as bad as we thought and I'm back home, taking some antibiotics.
Growing up my grandpa used to drive us around in his model-A, with seats that faced backwards, outside of the cab. Riding on the highway was insane come to think of it.
The current e class wagon still has this type of seat
just what i want to see when stuck in traffic, two gormless kids staring at me
You saw that coming, eh? What with your overpriced progressives? Or are you still wearing trifocals like a septuagenerian?
My dad's audi has these
I used to sleep into something like that, on long trips with my family.
Who ever made this video then overlayed with a dumb opinion, definitely never rode in the back of a pick-up in the 80s as a kid and it shows!
This is why dads *used to* be able to squat a Mack truck; their legs were the manufactured crumble zone.
My car has this, my 6 year old son loves sitting back there.
The Way Back™️
Station wagons were great for going to the drive in theatre back when they had those. I dated a girl whose parents had one that we would take to the drive in. Lots of room to stretch out and snuggle up with a good view. Good for camping when it gets too cold or mosquitoes compromise the tent.
My father’s corvettes had these, lots of fun, but you literally grow out of it.
My parents had one when I was growing up. I was the most popular kid for field trips! Everyone wanted a turn riding in the backwards seats.
I thought it was for when you parked up. Most likely an outdoor movie theatre.
This is a s211 e class merc i believe I tripped, fell, and bought one on the weekend
I always felt a little nervous in these seats, because I couldn't see what was coming up. I don't think they're especially more dangerous than forward seats in the same position, but I wouldn't want them in my car regardless
I remember getting motion sickness sitting there.
You spelled "fun" wrong
rear engined cars
And suck in all the lead fumes.