Long car journeys can cause some discomfort, both for the driver and the rest of the passengers. Although the first must maintain a correct posture to correctly handle the steering wheel, access the pedals and pay attention to the road, passengers believe that they can take certain liberties in order to increase their comfort in their seats.
In this regard, a common practice for the co-pilot is to put his feet on the dashboard to find a more comfortable position during the trip. But the truth is that this position is extremely dangerous for the safety of the co-pilot and, in addition, carries a financial penalty, as the Civil Guard has warned on its account on the social network X (formerly Twitter). “Did you know that an incorrect position of the co-pilot seriously aggravates his injuries in the event of an accident? And what is punishable?”, explains the worthy.
The General Directorate of Traffic also warned in its profile of When the body is not properly supported by the belt, either because it is too loose, poorly adjusted or poorly positioned, it presses the seat down and slides under the abdominal belt. Consequently, the risk of colliding with the steering wheel, the dashboard or the lower part of the passenger compartment increases. The DGT insists that injuries to the back and pelvis, breakage of the femur or the head of the femur, as well as serious internal bleeding can occur.
Aside from the aforementioned underwater effect, putting your feet on the dashboard carries another significant risk. And if the airbag deploys due to an impact, it can cause severe injuries to the co-pilot’s legs and joints. Other problems associated with the underwater effect and the placement of the legs on the dashboard is that the co-pilot could hit his own knees, suffer facial damage, brain damage, eye damage, fractures of the hip, pelvis and knees, as well as damage to the spinal column.
In addition to the severity of the injuries, having your feet up on the dashboard entails a financial penalty, which would be borne by the driver or by the co-pilot himself if he has a driving license. According to article 18 of the General Traffic Regulations, the driver must maintain the appropriate position and ensure that it is maintained by the rest of the passengers. According to this rule, the fine would amount to 100 euros, although it does not imply the loss of points on the license.
