Headrests

[Flo]

We only take the driver and passenger seat headrests with us. We were wondering if it is legal to take passengers without headrests in the rear passenger seats.

[Pauline]

We only take the driver and passenger seat headrests with us. We were wondering if it is legal to take passengers without headrests in the rear passenger seats.

I'd be interested to know the answer to this too Flo. We always leave the rear headrests behind if only Graham and I are travelling.

We once took Wendy and John out in our van when we were camping together but luckily they were able to take the headrests from their Dimension and put them in ours!

[ant]

Hi Flo and Pauline.
I don't think headrests are a legal requirement as such but if you had an accident with people travelling in seats without them and they suffer from any neck injuries you may find the insuers liable in the accident walk away from any injury claims. The problem with headrests is if they're set in the wrong position for the occupant of the seat ( too high or too low) they can cause as much damage as non at all. How may people spend time adjusting them for each different passenger? The optimum position would neither push the chin down nor up in the event of a rear impact. Sometimes you just can't get it perfectly set. I think one of those ever decreasing situations where we're allowed to use some common sense!
ant

[Flo]

Thanks Ant
I thought that might be the case about legality and so decision down to 'duty of care' which would affect insurance claim in event of accident claim. Interesting about injury possibly being worse if headrest in wrong position.