With the last big summer holiday here, I could tell you about increased traffic, drinking, and accidents. But you know all that. However, here is something you may not know.

  The traditional barefoot activity of putting your feet on the dashboard could mean serious injury. And I mean serious. Imagine this – your knee could end up taking out your eyeball. It happens.

  There are many reasons that dashboard footrests are unsafe. Let me focus on 3:

  Airbags

They shoot out at 100 to 200 miles per hour. They are meant to stop your face from hitting the windshield, but with your knees up, they can also force your legs into your face.

  Seatbelts

They are meant to be worn one way — you sitting straight with your feet on the floor. If you are slumped down, seatbelts have been known to injure internal organs and even sever limbs.

  Rolling Vehicle

There are roughly a quarter of a million rollovers each year in the U.S. With your feet on the dash, it is likely you will be tossed around inside the vehicle and may even be ejected.

  Please believe me when I say you can be permanently disabled. Here are some examples. One girl was in a minor accident but now has screws in her ankles, hips, and knees. She can’t stand for more than a few hours a day. In another accident, a passenger smashed her knees, which required hours of surgery, and as strange as it sounds, she had her forehead removed and surgically repaired. Recovery lasted more than two years.

  It is the end of summer, and the Mobile area is a great place to enjoy. Just please be smart … and safe.

  If you suffer from any personal injury accident – car, boat, on-the-job , slip and fall , nursing home abuse , etc. – you can talk to us at the Law Firm of Eiland and Ritchie (251) 666-1212. Remember that it is free. We want to help you.

  This Sunday, September 3, will be the last of our 30-minute  NBC 15 LawCall  shows for the rest of the year. We are taking a break during football season and will offer 5-minute segments until early January. 

  All this fall, we are putting aside a few extra hours Monday mornings to answer any of your legal questions. Just call our office.

Allen Ritchie

Alabama Personal Injury Lawyer

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