Car editor Niek Schenk answers: ‘In a frontal collision, the occupants are pushed forward. But in the event of a rear-end collision, they are pushed backwards. For that reason, it makes little sense to deploy airbags in the event of such a collision. The occupants are then usually already cushioned by the seat or bench, and especially the headrest. The chance that injuries will occur as a result is therefore much smaller than if you are pushed forward and your head hits, for example, the steering wheel, dashboard or windscreen. If someone hits the back of your car, there is a great risk of the infamous whiplash. But that cannot prevent an airbag.’
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