Kia held responsible for death of motorist who reclined their seat too far?

[TheOsakaKoneko]

Pardon me for my own idiocy, but I guess I could have ended up the same way? I often sleep on the way home from the club, reclining the passenger seat. I've never considered the possibility of sliding out the back - I'm not driving, so I don't need to see out the windows or anything, and I lay back. I still have my seatbelt on and am in the chair properly, but it's reclined quite far. Is it that stupid that I've never considered that unsafe? I guess now I can see it, but I certainly never would have considered it. How are we supposed to know how far back is safe? Are we supposed to assume we need to sit at a completely upright angle? I'm not saying this is Hyundai's fault, by any means, because the same would go for any vehicle, but I also don't really see how the woman was being a moron for leaning back in her seat when she wasn't driving. And if that really is that unsafe, they should make it known or make you unable to put the seat back while it's driving.

[candyman]

Pardon me for my own idiocy, but I guess I could have ended up the same way? I often sleep on the way home from the club, reclining the passenger seat. I've never considered the possibility of sliding out the back - I'm not driving, so I don't need to see out the windows or anything, and I lay back. I still have my seatbelt on and am in the chair properly, but it's reclined quite far. Is it that stupid that I've never considered that unsafe? I guess now I can see it, but I certainly never would have considered it. How are we supposed to know how far back is safe? Are we supposed to assume we need to sit at a completely upright angle? I'm not saying this is Hyundai's fault, by any means, because the same would go for any vehicle, but I also don't really see how the woman was being a moron for leaning back in her seat when she wasn't driving. And if that really is that unsafe, they should make it known or make you unable to put the seat back while it's driving.

Well you are in a moving vehicle and are probably mixed in with some other moving vehicles on the road...no seat position is going to be completely safe.

However, you seat should be in the upright position, give or take a FEW degrees and your lap and shoulder belt, some buckle separately still, should both be buckled and adjusted to your body. If you are really stressed about it go out and buy a set of racing seats, a four point harness, and a C-pillar bar that will hold the shoulder harness at the proper angle...I got that but I could still get killed.

I am sorry if this makes you paranoid but in the case of a bad accident you can either be upright, leaning back, or doing 69 with a friend in the back seat and you could still wind up in bad shape...although the 69 think would let you go to the afterlife with a smile...hmmmm...