When properly adjusted, head restraints provide the most protection when a vehicle:

• A. is struck in the rear
• B. is struck in the front
• C. is struck from the side
• D. rolls over during a crash

Answer: (A)

The headrest protects mainly by stopping the head from snapping backward relative to the body, reducing whiplash in a crash. This protection is strongest in a rear-end impact because the body is pushed forward while the head tends to move backward, causing a rapid backward jerk of the neck. A properly adjusted headrest sits close to the back of the head with the top near the top of your head, reducing the gap and catching the head as soon as it starts to move. That immediate support slows the head’s backward motion and eases the forces on the neck. In frontal, side, or rollover crashes the head isn’t driven backward in the same way, so while a good headrest can still help, the greatest benefit is in rear-end collisions.