- Why you should never rest your feet on the dashboard
- Warning from motoring experts
- Habit risks serious injury
- Motorists could also face a £100 fine and points on licence
(Adobe stock)
Car passengers have been warned not to rest their feet on the dashboard - because the seemingly ‘harmless’ habit could have catastrophic consequences.
While it can feel comfortable on a long journey, putting your feet on the dashboard is one of the most dangerous positions you can adopt in a moving vehicle.
The risks are far greater than most people realise, according to experts at leading UK lease firm Select Car Leasing, and the dangers are present even in relatively low-speed crashes.
Graham Conway, Managing Director at Select Car Leasing, explains how front passenger airbags can deploy at speeds of up to 200mph. They deploy within milliseconds of a collision occurring.
Airbags are also designed to protect someone sitting upright with their feet on the floor - not in an elevated or reclined position.
(Adobe stock)
Mr Conway adds: “If your feet are on the dashboard and the airbags inflate, the sudden force can violently drive your legs backwards toward your face and chest before you have any chance to react.
“You run the risk of catastrophic injuries including broken ankles, shins and femurs, dislocated hips, pelvic fractures, facial impacts, and even spinal injuries.
“With long summer road trips in the pipeline for many UK motorists, it’s crucial the dangers are highlighted, particularly for parents who might spot youngsters indulging in the seemingly harmless habit without understanding the risks involved.”
High profile incidents have also shone a light on the issue.
In 2020, a Dyfed Powys police officer shared a startling X-ray from a female who suffered life-changing pelvic and hip injuries after having her feet on the dash.
The officer said in a post on X: “Here is an X-ray of horrific injuries sustained to the front seat passenger who had their feet on the dashboard at the time of a collision. If you see your passenger doing it, stop driving and show them this.”
In 2006, Gráinne Kealy was travelling between Galway and Laois in Ireland with her feet on the dash when the car she was travelling in collided with a wall.
She suffered a brain injury and serious facial injuries when the airbag deployed and pushed her knees back into her face - and Gráinne has campaigned about the risks ever since.
While it’s not specifically illegal in the UK for a passenger to rest their feet on the dash, it could still fall foul of the law.
The car’s driver could face a £100 fine and three penalty points if the passenger's feet block the view of the wing mirror or obstructs the driver's vision in general
Select Car Leasing’s Mr Conway also warns that resting your feet on the dash reduces seatbelt effectiveness.
He adds: “Seatbelts are engineered to work with occupants sitting upright - not with your seat reclined and certainly not with your feet on the dash.
“If your body is poorly positioned, your body might slip down underneath the seatbelt, with the internal organs bearing the brunt of any impact.
“Always wear your seatbelt over your hips and across your collarbone and sit with enough distance between yourself and the dashboard to allow the airbag to work correctly.
“For long journeys, it's much safer to stop every couple of hours - or more frequently - to stretch your legs, rather than getting comfortable with your feet on the dash.”
(Adobe Stock)
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