Why shouldn't you put your feet on the car dashboard?
Many people still like to rest their feet on the dashboard when sitting in the front passenger seat; however, experts warn that this habit can come at a high price.
The habit of putting your feet on the dashboard can also lead to extremely unfortunate accidents, as in the case of Audra Tatum, a mother of three from Georgia, USA. While traveling in the car with her husband, Audra maintained her habit of putting her feet on the dashboard, despite her husband's advice against it.
As the car was traveling at a moderate, controlled speed, another vehicle suddenly crashed into the side of their car, causing the airbags to deploy instantly and twist Audra's leg backward. Her thigh bone, ankle, nose, and shoulder were all severely injured.
After emergency treatment, doctors said that if Audra Tatum had been sitting normally with her feet on the floor of the car, she would have been fine after the airbag deployed. However, because she propped her feet on the dashboard for comfort, she suffered from pain for two years afterward.
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| Audra Tatum is receiving first aid in her car (left) and her right leg is in a cast upon arrival at the hospital later (right). |
"The accident has severely impacted my work and life. Every hour that passes, every time I press on my leg, I can still feel the pain intensely. Never sit with your legs crossed like that," Audra Tatum shared regretfully.
Through her own experience, Audra wants to warn that this bad habit can put you in unforeseen and dangerous situations.
Experts have repeatedly warned against ever putting your feet on the dashboard when sitting in the passenger seat because in the event of an accident, the deploying airbag could push your feet upwards towards your head, impaling your shoulder or even your eye, which is extremely dangerous.
Another case involves Grainne Kealy in Ireland, who was resting her feet on the dashboard of her boyfriend's Jeep when an accident occurred on an icy, slippery road, causing her knee to strike her face at nearly 200 km/h. As a result, she had part of her forehead amputated and underwent multiple surgeries to reconstruct her face.
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| Grainne Kealy before and after the accident. |
Many years later, she was finally healthy enough to receive a prosthetic forehead transplant. However, the damage to her nervous system was irreparable. She said she frequently forgets words while speaking to people and often gets headaches when it's noisy, causing her to lose focus.
The reason you shouldn't rest your feet on the dashboard is because that's where the airbags are located. In the event of a serious collision, the airbags will deploy very quickly, and you won't have time to pull your feet away. According to a spokesperson for the Chattanooga Fire Department (USA), airbags deploy at speeds of 160-320 km/h. If you put your feet on the dashboard and an accident occurs, the airbag could cause your knee to hit your eye socket.”
