# Have to get this out somewhere! Safety Tip. IMPORTANT!



## FondestBianca (May 9, 2008)

So in driving around town I've noticed something that many probably don't give a second thought to that makes me want to yell out to drivers, "no, no, NO. don't do that!"

I've found that many people remove the head rests from the backseats in their cars. Most often it is people with infant, toddler, or child car seats in the back, I assume because they figure no adults will sit there and their children's car seats are lower than the headrest anyway and actually have their own headrests build right in. This especially freaks me out when it's a booster seat or car seat for larger child (over age 1 or 2). I fully understand the reasoning is to improve visibility which of course is a step toward safety.

Here why it bothers me and why I desperatly want these people to put their head rests back on! That little chunk of fabric, foam, and metal frame is one of the only barriers between the roof and your child's head. it may seem like nothing, like something intended to merely keep a teen or adults head from snapping back during a rear end collision but, it does oh so much more! I was in a bad car accident back in high school and got up close and personal with the space inside a car after it has been crushed from nearly all sides (including the top). In that accident one person was inches from being decapitated or at leasr suffering a serious head injury. In a four door car the roof line meets the back window behind the headrest and and thus the headrest actually becomes one more safegaurd to keep the roof from crushing onto the heads of kiddos in the backseat.

So please, please, please, anyone who has removed the headrest above your kiddos, put them back on!

Since i can't yell this to other drivers I thought this was the next best place to get this out. I guess it's something the average person would look over if they never had metal roof shoved in their face while upside down in a smashed car. I know what that looks like so I thought I'd spread the word.


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## dearmama22 (Oct 20, 2008)

In order to get the britax marathon to fit in our back seat we HAVE to take out the headrest.. we have a honda CRV. Maye thats why people are taking it out?


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## MaterPrimaePuellae (Oct 30, 2007)

The tether strap installation instructions in my in-laws Yaris includes removing the headrest (per the manufacturer's booklet).
I know that the headrest is important for preventing whiplash type injuries, but I have never heard that they act like a last-ditch "rollbar"...?


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## Tilia (Nov 18, 2006)

Yes, I had to take the headrest off to get a good fit with DD's Regent, plus it is tethered. I do plan on replacing the headrest when she is out of that seat and into a booster. I stuck the headrest in the spare tire in the trunk, so I wouldn't lose it.

My backseat has 3 headrest so it does look funny.

I absolutely think they are necessary for a taller person!


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *dearmama22* 
In order to get the britax marathon to fit in our back seat we HAVE to take out the headrest.. we have a honda CRV. Maye thats why people are taking it out?

This. For my dd's safeguard to install in our van the headrest MUST be off. It will not tether appropriately with it on AND the headrest interferes with proper use of the headrest adjustment of the carseat.

-Angela


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## southernmommie (Jan 7, 2007)

In order to fit our carseat also, needed to remove the headrest so it will sit properly and firmly in the seat without tilting.


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## kriket (Nov 25, 2007)

how does it protect the childs head from the roof?







can you link a reference?


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## Drummer's Wife (Jun 5, 2005)

The Apex my 3.5 yr old is in REQUIRES a headrest.

None of the other seats my children use need it.


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## FondestBianca (May 9, 2008)

for those of you speaking about the tether strap. Couldn't you install it under the headrest, then put the headrest back down once you have the tether secure.

I don't have a reference other than personal. Also, in many cases if you look at a rollover you'll see that any piece of metal in the car provides a little extra stability. Often times in rollovers where the impact wasnt' as severe the roof will stay upright above the headrests then crush down everywhere else. So yes, it freaks me out a bit when I see that headrests have been removed above kid's heads. In my accident, my headrest kept the roof from crushing down. It smashed down basically everywhere but right above the head rests. The seats stayed intact and structurally sound while the rest of the car was smashed.

It is some news article, it's just me seeing a silly little object that could have contributed to saving my life, being removed from other people's cars. If there is NO WAY to safely install a car seat then ok, I get it... but aside from that I'd highly suggest leaving it in.

I know this entire thread probably seems so random but, it's something htta has been bothering me that I just want to get out.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *FondestBianca* 
for those of you speaking about the tether strap. Couldn't you install it under the headrest, then put the headrest back down once you have the tether secure.

Nope. Tried it. The headrest runs into the tether strap.

Also, for this seat, the headrest actually prevents the seat from working properly. The top of the seat slides up and down and the headrest does not allow it to (it is a touch further forward than the rest of the seat.)

Also, in the back row, the car manual says to remove the headrests if you're putting a carseat back there. Same reason (but to a further extent)

-Angela


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## FondestBianca (May 9, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
Nope. Tried it. The headrest runs into the tether strap.

Also, for this seat, the headrest actually prevents the seat from working properly. The top of the seat slides up and down and the headrest does not allow it to (it is a touch further forward than the rest of the seat.)

Also, in the back row, the car manual says to remove the headrests if you're putting a carseat back there. Same reason (but to a further extent)

-Angela

i can understand if the headrest pushes forward into the carseat and prevent a tight fit up against the seat but I'm sure this isn't the case in every car where people have removed the headrests.


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## sapphire_chan (May 2, 2005)

People have headrests in the middle back of their cars?


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## KBinSATX (Jan 17, 2006)

I don't think my car even has a headrest in the back. I know teh truck for sure doesn't...


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

My vehicle (Chevy Venture minivan) doesn't even have removable headrests.


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## Cinder (Feb 4, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MaterPrimaePuellae* 
The tether strap installation instructions in my in-laws Yaris includes removing the headrest (per the manufacturer's booklet).

Yup!


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## FondestBianca (May 9, 2008)

ok.... i really do get it. really. really, really. i get that some HAVE to have the head rests removed because it makes it impossible to get a car seat in and I;m sure some cars don't have a removable head rest.

Can we just please understand that this was intended for people who removed the head rest for convienence or vision purposes? is that possible... because I really do understand that all situations aren't the same... so it would be cool if people would understand that there are some circumsstances when people take them out when they shouldn't and in that case it would really make sense to put them back in.

this is just so i dont have to mention any more times that I fully understand that sometimes they have to be taken out. i know!

ok thanks


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

I can't imagine bothering to take them out for convenience or vision honestly.

My dad drove a rodeo and you had to take the headrests off to fold the back seat down... so sometimes the back seat was up with no headrests on it... but people rarely rode in the back....

Also, in my van it can look like some headrests are removed- especially if one or two are up in the back- because they go ALL the way down... so you could think they were removed when they weren't.

-Angela


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## sunnymw (Feb 28, 2007)

Thanks for the reminder though on a different note---sometimes the IL's won't put theirs back on in their van once the seats are folded back up, and it's kids in boosters and teenagers riding back there. Eek, whiplash!


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MaterPrimaePuellae* 
The tether strap installation instructions in my in-laws Yaris includes removing the headrest (per the manufacturer's booklet).
I know that the headrest is important for preventing whiplash type injuries, but I have never heard that they act like a last-ditch "rollbar"...?

My car manual (subaru outback) says you have to remove the headrest to use the top tether. I do put it back on if I take the seat out and put an adult in that position. But with my ds in his harnessed seat, it's off so it can be tethered with the top tether.


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

I'm another one that has to remove my headrests. I have a Regent, Radian, and BV and they're all too tall to install with the headrest on. I can do it, but then it pushes the Regent forward so much that it's hard to tell if the install is acceptable (80% on the seat). The BV and Radian are also tall and neither of them install well with it. Usually I only have two seats in the car at a time, but even with the third headrest on (my headrests are ALWAYS on when there isn't a FFing seat in that spot), it's not anywhere near as tall as the tops of my carseats.

Another thing you have to keep in mind is that most people don't know that the headrest actually provides protection. I can honestly say I don't know one person IRL, except DH, who actually know it's there for safety and not comfort.


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## an_aurora (Jun 2, 2006)

Seriously, headrests are made for whiplash protection, not to act as a roll cage. We leave ours on (we don't have the option of taking them off). But, proper fit for a head rest is that it is no lower than the tops of the passenger's ears. If the headrest were really supposed to protect the passenger from roof cave-in, you would think they would have to be above the head.


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## littlemizflava (Oct 8, 2006)

this is what i do
put the head rest up and feed the tether threw the gap and put the head reast back down. in a car where the headrest pushed forward i actually took it out and put it back in backwards.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *littlemizflava* 
this is what i do
put the head rest up and feed the tether threw the gap and put the head reast back down. in a car where the headrest pushed forward i actually took it out and put it back in backwards.

Many car manuals specifically say to remove the headrest if you're using the tether.

-Angela


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## alysmommy2004 (Jun 23, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *alegna* 
Many car manuals specifically say to remove the headrest if you're using the tether.

-Angela









:

And in some cars, like mine, the car seat won't fit properly with the head rest on.


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## just_lily (Feb 29, 2008)

I like my headrests.... the dogs can't climb over them to the backseat. I have an Escape, and it has a middle headrest as well, and they are all adjustable. I had one of those pet barriers previously, and it never fit right.

My babe is still in a bucket though.


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## thepeach80 (Mar 16, 2004)

Most adult males' heads are going to be over the top of the headrest anyways, they are for whiplash purposes. Could they act in another function, sure, I guess they could but there is nothing published on it etc and the fact that most people don't even know where their headrest should be (DH did not until I told him, his was too low for him), it wouldn't make a difference if it were on or off. My 2 in the middle row are off so the kids can talk to each other better since I had (will have again soon) 2 rfing kids in the middle and then 2 ffing kids in the back.


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## indie (Jun 16, 2003)

In our previous vehicle we had to remove the head rests to get a proper install. Also, with that vehicle, I think the additional visibility added more to safety than the slim possibility of the headrest protecting in a roll over. Of course that's just my impression, but with the head rests it was very hard to see. (So glad I don't have that vehicle anymore.)


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## ferretfan (Nov 13, 2005)

i have a sienna and a boulevard. i had to take the headrest off to get a proper install


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## abharrington (Jun 30, 2007)

just wanted to add, our backseat has 3 seatbelts on a bench style seat but only 2 headrests. someone driving by might think we have removed the center one, which is where one of our carseats is, but we didnt. that is the way our car came.


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