Drivers and passengers heading off on a journey this weekend have been warned about one seemingly harmless habit that could have catastrophic consequences. Putting your feet on the dashboard may feel comfortable, particularly during a long and hot summer road trip, but motoring experts say it is one of the most dangerous positions a passenger can adopt.
The warning centres on the front passenger airbag, which can deploy at speeds of up to 200mph and inflate within milliseconds of a collision.
Airbags not designed for raised legs
Graham Conway, managing director at Select Car Leasing, said airbags are designed to protect people sitting upright with their feet on the floor – not passengers who are reclining with their legs raised. He said: “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,” he added.
Police and campaigners highlight danger
The issue has previously been highlighted by Dyfed Powys Police. In 2020, an officer shared an X-ray on X showing horrific pelvic and hip injuries suffered by a female front-seat passenger who had her feet on the dashboard when the vehicle crashed. The officer wrote: “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.”
Irish campaigner Gráinne Kealy has also spent years warning about the danger after suffering life-changing injuries. In 2006, she was travelling between Galway and Laois with her feet on the dashboard when the car collided with a wall. The airbag deployed and pushed her knees back into her face, causing a brain injury and serious facial injuries.
Legal and safety advice
Although putting your feet on the dashboard is not specifically illegal in the UK, a driver could face a £100 fine and three penalty points if a passenger’s feet block the view of a wing mirror or obstruct the driver’s vision. Mr Conway also warned that the position can interfere with the way a seatbelt is intended to protect the occupant. “Seatbelts are engineered to work with occupants sitting upright - not with your seat reclined and certainly not with your feet on the dash,” he said.
“If your body is poorly positioned, your body might slip down underneath the seatbelt, with the internal organs bearing the brunt of any impact.” Passengers should instead wear the seatbelt correctly, with the lap section over the hips and the upper section across the collarbone, while maintaining enough distance from the dashboard for the airbag to operate properly.
For anyone who wants to stretch their legs on a long journey, the advice is straightforward. “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,” Mr Conway said.
