Headrest (Head Restraint)
The headrest is the cushion at the top of the seat that limits head movement and reduces whiplash in a rear-end collision.
What is Headrest (Head Restraint)?
The top should be roughly level with the top of your head. Some headrests move forward automatically in a crash. Rear headrests should be raised when passengers sit there. Active headrests are designed to move forward to reduce whiplash in rear-end crashes.
How it works
It catches the head early in a rear impact so the neck does not bend backwards.
Why it matters for your car
A headrest set too low can increase the risk of neck injury. Do not remove headrests for driving.
Other terms
- All-season Tyre
- Ball Joint
- Boot Lid (Trunk Lid)
- Brake Warning Light
- Caster
- Crankcase Ventilation (PCV)
- Depreciation (Value Loss)
- Goodwill Repair
- Harmonic Balancer (Crankshaft Damper)
- Intake Manifold
- International Driving Permit (IDP)
- Open Differential
- Paint Oxidation (Faded Paint)
- Rotary Engine (Wankel Engine)
- Silicon Carbide (SiC) Inverter
- Small Overlap Crash Test
- Snatch Strap (Kinetic Recovery Rope)
- Throttle Position Sensor (TPS)
- TPMS Relearn (Sensor Learning)
- Tyre Age (DOT Date Code)