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What are head restraints?

I’m studying for my driving test and reading about checking blind spots. The book keeps mentioning something about head restraints being a potential blind spot. What are head restraints?

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Sarah Gray · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Your confusion about what head restraints are is understandable since we usually refer to them as headrests. Their purpose is not to give you a place to rest your head though. Head restraints or headrests are an automotive safety feature meant to limit rearward movement of the head in case of a collision.
For years, vehicle-safety researchers have designed and adjusted head restraints in an effort to minimize whiplash and cervical vertebrae damage resulting from rear-end collisions. They’ve created many versions, but these are the two best:
  • active head restraint—designed to automatically adjust head restraint position for maximum protection during an impact
  • automatically adjusting head restraint—designed to automatically adjust the head restraint position when the seat position is adjusted
Many drivers complain that head restraints are uncomfortable, but they’re not nearly as uncomfortable as whiplash, which can cause everything from mild pain to severe disability.
Your head restraint helps protect you from severe injury and your
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