Why Resting Feet on the Dashboard Is Dangerous

This is why you should never rest your feet on a car’s dashboard.
THESE stunning photos are a fresh reminder of why you should never rest your feet on a car’s dashboard.

She Rested Her Foot on the Glove Compartment and Regretted It

Audra Tatum, from the US, was riding in the passenger seat of the family car and resting her feet on the dashboard, on top of the glove compartment.

It’s something most people probably do during a long trip. But they don’t seem to be very aware of what could happen.

Something Ms. Tatum never expected happened when she was involved in a car accident.

Ms. Tatum also wasn’t wearing her seatbelt at the moment of impact. When the airbag deployed at the moment of the crash, it threw her foot toward her face with tremendous force. If your foot is in the position the airbag will deploy into at the moment of a crash, the airbag can drive your knees into your eye sockets.

The Airbag’s Effect at the Moment of a Crash

Airbags generally deploy in 15 to 30 milliseconds.

As a result of resting her feet on the dashboard, Audra broke her femur in four places, and now has a metal rod and six screws in her leg.

Her nose, ankle, and shoulder were also broken by the airbag deploying with tremendous speed and force. She struggled through months of treatment. She underwent orthopedic surgeries. She was worn down, both financially and emotionally.

In an interview with a national TV channel, she said: “This accident took a lot from me. Even though I’m glad I survived, I damaged my career by struggling through months of hospitals and physical therapy. I have regrets, and I feel regret every single moment I put pressure on my leg, at any hour of the day. Sometimes on the highway, I see people sitting like I was, with their knees propped on the dashboard, and I’m scared for them. Please be careful.”