Many New Jersey drivers want more comfort, especially on long commutes. Some look to plush accessories, such as a neck pillow. While comfortable, these cushions introduce a crucial safety risk.
The simple truth is that a thick neck pillow can compromise your car’s built-in safety features during a collision. Your priority should always be using your vehicle’s safety components as intended.
The purpose of head restraints
The device behind your head is not just a “headrest.” Its proper name is a head restraint, and it is a critical safety feature. Your original equipment manufacturer (OEM) designed head restraints to work as part of the car’s entire safety system, which includes seat belts and airbags. Here are two key safety components:
- The restraint’s primary purpose is to minimize how far your head travels backward in a rear-end crash.
- It limits neck hyperextension.
Reducing this distance is essential, and this crucial safety feature helps prevent or minimize whiplash and other severe neck injuries during an accident.
Why do neck pillows increase whiplash risk?
Adding a thick neck pillow increases the space between the back of your head and the restraint, undermining the car’s safety engineering. The added distance allows your head to accelerate backward further before it finally hits the restraint.
Instead of adding a pillow, you should adjust your standard head restraint correctly. To do this:
- Adjust the restraint so the center of it aligns with the center of the back of your head, which is usually at ear level.
- The restraint must be as close to your head as possible without pushing your head forward.
Always follow your vehicle manufacturer’s guidelines for proper head restraint adjustment. This small change offers the best protection for your neck in a crash.
Neck pillows may offer significant relief on a long airplane journey. However, they only increase the risk of a more severe injury during a car crash. Always follow the appropriate OEM guidelines for your vehicle.
If you or a loved one sustains serious injuries in an accident, it’s advisable to seek skilled legal guidance. In New Jersey, your ability to seek compensation for pain and suffering may be limited by the no-fault system and the ‘serious injury’ threshold, depending on the terms of your auto insurance policy.