Like many other people living in New Jersey, you probably prefer to ride up front near the driver. According to CBS News, so do approximately 88 percent of all passengers. This is a smart move, since you will be safer riding in the front seat than in the back.
If you are going somewhere with a group of people, you may not give a thought to your safety risk when you sit in the back, but you should. If you are getting into a newer vehicle, you probably are aware that there are several safety features for people in the front seat such as side air bags and designs that are intended to absorb crash impacts.
The same, however, is not true for the rear seat. If you choose to ride in the back, you are more likely to sustain chest injuries or even be killed. This is especially true if you are over the age of 55. You, like many other people, may be less likely to wear a seat belt when you ride in the back because rear seat belts are designed differently from frontones and can be more uncomfortable. This can be even worse when you ride with other passengers in the back row.
While the front seat is a safer place for you to ride, your children are still safest when they are seated in the back of the vehicle. Due to the prevalent use of car seats and child restraint systems, one study found that only 24 percent of crash fatalities involving back seat passengers are children under the age of 13.
