# Best way to react as a passenger in an impending automobile crash? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 22, 2011, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-react-as-a-passenger-in-an-impending-automobile-crash/607122 "2011-12-22T21:47:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-react-as-a-passenger-in-an-impending-automobile-crash/607122/21 "2011-12-23T16:51:36Z")
I’ve only been in one accident and my Dad was driving. A woman ran a stop sign and we nearly t-boned her, luckily my Dad was able to crank the wheel and we just hit her front side and careened into a field. I was in the back seat and when my Dad said “Oh shit, we’re gonna hit” I looked up between the seats, then after impact I dropped my head to my lap and put my arms around my head to protect it. My stepmom was in the passenger seat and she braced her hands against the dash and broke her wrist. The airbags didn’t go off. My friend and I were hit from behind on an icy road during a blizzard. She was driving. Later she said: “I totally saw it coming. I knew we were going to be hit but I didn’t say anything because you would have turned your head and tensed up and you could have been injured.” I would think that you’d automatically tense up and brace for impact, but if you’re able to think quickly enough to relax and keep your arms down or use your arms to protect your face and head it would be the best. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-react-as-a-passenger-in-an-impending-automobile-crash/607122/22 "2011-12-23T17:26:53Z")
> [@MsJinx](#): > > If you are wearing glasses and can take them off before the airbag deploys, you are much better off. The airbag will jam them into your face. A little off topic, but what asshole decided that planting a bomb in every car’s dashboard was a good idea? Yeah, if you’re dumb enough not to wear your seat belt it may help a little. If you do wear your belt, the benefit is slight at best, negative at worst. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-react-as-a-passenger-in-an-impending-automobile-crash/607122/23 "2011-12-23T17:30:57Z")
“Hail Mary, full of grace…” ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-react-as-a-passenger-in-an-impending-automobile-crash/607122/24 "2011-12-23T17:44:24Z")
I plan on screaming ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-react-as-a-passenger-in-an-impending-automobile-crash/607122/25 "2011-12-23T18:22:21Z")
I only hope I can face a crash with the aplomb [these guys](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDlo1W7EXwI) had. (35 second youtube clip of Russian traffic follies) I’m wondering if vodka had something to do with it… In the crashes I’ve been involved in, it all happened so quickly, all I could do was think “We’re going to crash,” and shove myself into the seat back with my arm against the door handle. These were in cars w/o airbags. ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-react-as-a-passenger-in-an-impending-automobile-crash/607122/26 "2011-12-25T03:38:34Z")
> [@MsJinx](#): > > The question was the best way for a **passenger** to react. No doubt, but many drivers wear eyeglasses. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2011, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-react-as-a-passenger-in-an-impending-automobile-crash/607122/27 "2011-12-25T12:26:10Z")
> [@GreenElf](#): > > No doubt, but many drivers wear eyeglasses. True, but I specified passenger in the OP because the passenger can’t do much except prepare for impact. The driver is - hopefully - 100 percent engaged in the act of driving in an emergency situation. Braking, steering, calculating distance and clearance and so on: doing whatever possible to avoid impact, or at least to minimize the damage. ---
**Author:** ![applebetty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@applebetty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/applebetty)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-react-as-a-passenger-in-an-impending-automobile-crash/607122/28 "2011-12-26T03:06:28Z")
A medic I used to ride with had “go limp” drills. As a former medic I will tell you that your arms braced on the dashboard will not withstand the tons of force a serious accident will bring. Your best shot is to relax, don’t distract the driver, wear your seat belt always, and it helps to have some extra ‘cushioning’ as in body fat to absorb the impact. ---
**Author:** ![Haredye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/22d042/32.png) [@Haredye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Haredye)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2011, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-react-as-a-passenger-in-an-impending-automobile-crash/607122/29 "2011-12-26T03:11:35Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > The other day I was driving about 55 mph (the speed limit) on a two-lane road when some moron in an SUV made a left turn RIGHT in front of me. I had to literally stand on the brakes; missed the moron with inches to spare thankfully. (I couldn’t go to the left because there was a vehicle right behind the turning SUV.) > > My passenger leaned forward and braced himself with his arms against the dash while simultaneously yelling _SHIIIIIT!1!!!1!_ > > The swearing I can understand, but it occured to me that leaning forward and putting one’s hands on the dashboard would not be the best position to be in if we’d made head-on impact. Especially if the airbag goes off. Wouldn’t that put someone in full-frontal contact with an exploding airbag, plus risk broken or dislocated arms? I’ve never been in the presence of an airbag going off so I don’t know what it’s like. > > So - were I a passenger and there might be a sudden impact, are there ways to minimize injury? I’m thinking cross arms across body and turn sideways, maybe. Grab the steering wheel and yank it back and forth. Flip all the switches and push all the buttons on the dash. Frantically move your seat all the way forward and all the way back. Get out your cell phone and start updating your Facebook/Twitter that OMG!!! IM IN CAR CRASH RITE NOWSZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!! and keep shoving the cell phone in the drivers face and taking pictures of said face. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-way-to-react-as-a-passenger-in-an-impending-automobile-crash/607122.md?page=1)