This report gives an account of a study into the technical aspects of head rests. Measurements of new cars were performed at car dealers. Surveys were carried out in public parking places. The field study was supplemented by a technical study. At present, head rests in cars are not compulsory in the Netherlands. If they are fitted, the new vehicle regulation (NVR) states that they should comply with an obsolete European Community guideline. Partly at the insistence of the Netherlands, an adaptation to the guideline concerning the minimal height of head rests is being prepared in a European context. It was not possible to raise the head rests sufficiently in many cars. If all front-seat passengers were to adjust their head rest to the highest position, this would still not be sufficient in 46% of the cases. Adjustable head rests were found in 91% of new cars. Of the head rests, which were adjustable in a vertical direction, 34% were also adjustable in a horizontal direction. It was shown that amongst 38% of front-seat passengers, the adjustable head rest was in the lowest position. An excessive horizontal distance between the head rest and the head was found among 28% of front-seat passengers.
Samenvatting