In the event of a head on train crash, is it best to be to facing the front or the rear of the train?

Question

In the event of a head on train crash, is it best to be to facing the front or the rear of the train?

Answer 1

Should you be unfortunate enough to be in a head on crash, sitting with your back to the impact would be preferable as the seat will absorb your forward momentum and you won't go flying head first into what ever is in front of you.

Answer 2

In any type of speed crash its best to face the rear...

Answer 3

Mythbusters actually tested this, although they did it with plane seats and people facing forward and backwards.

When you're facing backwards, your body can take the higher g forces of facing backwards, but then your face is exposed to all the debris flying forward.

When you are facing forward (and belted in), your body can distribute the forces as you are jerked forward, so its still safe, but it has the added benefit that your face and chest are protected by your back from flying debris.  Also, you double over when you face forward and are belted in, so its like ducking.  If you are facing backwards, the seat will keep you upright and you'll be a bigger target.

http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2005/06/mythb...

Since most trains don't have seat belts, I'd say you're still better  facing forward because if you are thrown forward you are still able to deflect the forces of the crash better.

Answer 4

facing the rear - cause you are coming to a quick stop

Answer 5

rear

Answer 6

facing the rear--

Answer 7

On the platform

Answer 8

Yep facing the rear, but with my luck I would have somebody in a body cast sitting opposite me.

Answer 9

Miss the train and get the next one.

Answer 10

They say the safest place on a train is in the middle carriages facing the backwards

Answer 11

Front. You might have some chance if your at the front. If you are at the back, the last few carriages would pile up due to the force of the impact and would be derailed while the front carraiges would remain on the track.

Answer 12

best to be in a car

Answer 13

Dosn't matter which way your facing as long as your not in the train.

I'd say the best place to get a good view would be in a helicopter.

Answer 14

its highly unlikely to be in head on train crash ond sustain injury i work as a signaller and this incident would be 1 in 1000000

Answer 15

It's best not to be on the rain :-) seriously though, your body can withstand more Gs when sitted facing the opposite direction of travel, assuming that the seats are adequately designed to support you. In a nut shell, sit as far back in the train as you can, facing the back of the train, the more stuff between you and the point of collision, the better your chances of survival

Answer 16

watch it on telly is the best

Answer 17

Well, that depends where you are in the train. It's best to be nearer to the middle of the train, however then face backwards because there will be no whiplash movement. Were you facing forward, you would be launched from your seat. However, the number of major train crashes a year are phenomally low compared to aeroplanes and cars.

Hope this has helped.

Answer 18

Facing the rear, your seat should absorb the energy of your deceleration.

If you absolutely must sit facing forward (direction of travel), try to sit opposite someone who is fairly pneumatic, such as Jordan.  Her b*****s should absorb your kinetic energy.

Answer 19

Assuming a head-on collision, it is better to be seated 2/3rds of the way towards the back of the train, facing away from the direction of travel.

The train will come to an abrupt stop and the deceleration will be high. If you were facing forward your inertia would carry you forward and you would injure yourself in the objects in front of you.

By facing backwards, there is no room for your neck to flex upon impact, since the seatback will be in the way. So, no possibility of whiplash.

In terms of the train itself, one can imagine that it will concertina upon impact. The front carriage or carriages will crush under the impact and the momentum of the back carriages will carry them into the middle carriages, causing them to displace and derail. The centre carriages should be able to use the crushing of the front carriages as a spring damper brake, so they are less likely to derail (if you imagine the front carriages as 'spongey' for this purpose, since they will be folding and compressed under the shock).

Clearly there is no 'safe' place, however, as the loading of the train, engine locations, material composition and direction/force of impact will be such an influential factor. A 4 carriage train colliding head-on with an express train at 110mph will wipe you out wherever you sit. What matters on longer trains is the 'give' between carriages that allows the train to compress a little and absorb the impact.

Others who suggest it may be safer to sit forwards so as to protect you against flying debris from behind you seem to ignore the fact that most trains don't have seatbelts - and so it is infinitely more preferable for you to have objects hitting you on your front than it is for you to be hitting objects in front of you, face on!

Answer 20

It would depend on how fast you were going, anything over 34mph you will get some injuries regardless which way your facing

Answer 21

its best to be AT the rear of the train and FACEING the rear, as the seat will stop you with less damage to your body...

but i find in a train crash, that its best to be in your car..... out of the way