Experts warn: resting feet on the dashboard while driving can cause serious injury

During summer, when car travel is often associated with leisure and road trips, many front-seat passengers adopt a relaxed posture — propping their feet on the dashboard or extending them out the window. Traffic safety specialists warn that although this habit may seem harmless, it actually carries a significant risk.

Why it is dangerous

The issue lies in how this seating position changes the body's alignment relative to the car's safety systems. Even in a minor road accident, when a vehicle brakes sharply or a collision occurs, feet resting on the dashboard can be thrown back with great force, causing serious injuries to the joints, leg bones, or pelvis.

In such situations, the airbag — normally designed to protect the passenger — may fail to provide the expected protection or could even increase the risk of injury, since the passenger's body is not in the safe position intended for the moment of impact.

Advice for passengers

Traffic safety experts urge car passengers to avoid this habit and to maintain a proper, safe seating position while driving — with feet on the floor and the body correctly secured by a seatbelt. This is especially relevant in summer, when longer trips and a relaxed mood often lead passengers to lower their guard.