Rear seats of cars need better safety equipment, study says

When are we going to see a mandatory car helmet law?

If it saves one life....

Wearing seatbelts in the back seat is law in Japan. However, I rarely see anybody wearing them. Also, in Australia, cars must be fitted with specific baby seat mounts. They are not just held in with seat belts. This serves two purposes. Of course, it is to provide greater safety and stability for the baby seat. It also stops people putting baby seats on the front seat right in front of the baby decapitating airbag, which is a common sight in Japan.

Whats the point? You still have parents that let their kids stand up in the car and mothers that think holding their baby is safe. You need to get the basics down first. Its just airbags will do more harm than good if your feet are on the dash or you are not wearing your seat belt. You still hear, and I bet you cold hard cash they still teach in Japan: hands at 10 and 2. That is no longer the recommended way. They say more like 9 and 3 is far more safer now that airbags are in every car on the road now.

They say more like 9 and 3 is far more safer now that airbags are in every car on the road now.

I've never been completely convinced by this. I generally use the 10 to 2 position as I was taught 40+ years ago. The idea is that it gives better control of the steering. The 9 and 3 idea is based on incidents of airbags either breaking fingers and hands or pushing hands into the face when the hands are above the airbag. But when airbags explode, are the driver's hands typically in the standard position, or are they turning to avoid an accident? I think I'd put better steering control above risk of airbag injury. (Or is it just that old habits die hard?)

The car fatalities here in Japan tend to show crushed cars, so regardless whether or not you had a seat belt on, the same fate would have arisen.

Perhaps focus upon building a stronger personnel area within a Car would be a good start. reinforced roof and sides with roll-strength bars added - doesn't need to impact weight, though the cost of materials used may push the price up - and so what, fewer cars on the Road would be a good thing.