Voetjes op het dashboard: waarom het echt geen goed idee is
For me, the vacation starts as soon as we drive off the parking lot of the car rental in Bari . My love turns the radio knob to quickly tune into R101 (pronounced: rrr cento uno), I plug in the iPhone charging cable, roll down the window, and in the meantime, I kick off my shoes and place my feet – with freshly painted nails, because hey, we’re going on vacation – on the dashboard. Then it’s just a matter of counting down the seconds until the man on the left – not entirely coincidentally the love of my life – looks at me, lets his gaze slide down to my lobster-red toenails, and gently pinches my thigh. This, this is vacation.
Feet on dashboard = instant argument
His mother used to sit like this in the Peugeot 504 when they were heading to the south of France, and here I am now. To share my joy, I sometimes make a video. Of those feet. With a cheerful tune underneath. And I post it on Instagram. Now, everyone who is a bit active on Instagram knows that you sometimes get a slap on the wrist for something you do while being completely unaware of it. I’m no exception to that. But the anger that feet on a dashboard provoke is quite strong.
Now you can combat anger with anger – I’ve also reacted firmly: it’s my life, my vacation, what’s it to you – but I thought I’d delve into the phenomenon of feet on dashboards and the danger. Because why not listen to the warnings of others? So here comes my exposition on the danger, how often it occurs, and why you, even in this case, might want to keep your little feet on the floor.
Voetjes op het dashboard: waarom het echt geen goed idee is
It looks so innocent. Your legs stretched out, fresh wind through the window, slippers to the side, and your fresh pedicure in view of your love. But what you might forget in that summery haze is that the dashboard turns into a kind of launch pad in a collision. And you? You’re in the front row.
According to traffic safety authorities, including the ANWB and foreign organizations like the American NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), the risk of serious injury is up to ten times greater if you sit with your feet on the dashboard during an accident. Why? Because in a collision – even at low speed – the airbag is deployed at a speed of over 300 kilometers per hour. That’s faster than Max Verstappen it will ever go, but then right into your knees, hips, and face.
Fractures, burns, and… broken faces
Sounds dramatic? It is. There are countless examples of passengers who end up with a double hip fracture, shattered knees, burned legs, or worse after a seemingly minor accident. An airbag that normally saves your life suddenly becomes a force that pushes your body into unnatural positions. As a doctor once said: “Your legs don’t belong with your ears, especially not at 300 kilometers per hour.”
In the US, a campaign was even launched after the horrific story of Audra Tatum, a woman from Georgia who had her foot on the dashboard when her husband – who was driving – had a minor collision. The airbag deployed, her foot was slammed against her face, and she sustained serious injuries that required years of rehabilitation.
Even if you think: “But it’s just a little bit”
And that might be the most dangerous of all. You think: oh, it’s just five minutes, or: we’re driving slowly anyway. But accidents don’t take travel time or vacation vibes into account. They happen unexpectedly, often at the moment when you’re just getting comfortable and think it’s all going to be fine.
Why we still do it
We’re not crazy people, of course. It just feels good. Freedom, vacation, that relaxed attitude where you look at your partner and think: yes, this is life. It also looks nice on Instagram. But just like you buckle your seatbelt and don’t transport your child on your lap, this should also be on that list. Because the risk is really not worth it.
And now?
I’m not going to tell you what to do. But what I do say: know what you’re doing. And know what I do. I just keep them nicely on the mat. If I want my little feet off the floor, I’ll look for a dance floor. And thanks to the followers for the tip.
Source: Reddit.com
