NHTSA Complaint #10412488 — 2011 HONDA ACCORD

I WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF HOW NEW NTSA REGULATIONS FOR THE DESIGN OF HEAD RESTRAINTS HAVE INJURED ME PHYSICALLY AND FINANCIALLY. I TRADED IN A 2000 TOYOTA FOR A 2011 HONDA, ONLY TO FIND THAT THE HEAD RESTRAINT GAVE ME SEVERE NECK MUSCLE SPASMS. THE DEALER EXPLAINED THAT SINCE 2008, ALL NEW CARS MUST FOLLOW UPDATED NTHSA REGULATIONS IN HEAD RESTRAINTS. I WENT TO MANY DEALERSHIPS TO FIND A HEAD RESTRAIN THAT I COULD TOLERATE. ALL OF THEM HAD THE SAME PAIN-PRODUCING, FEDERALLY-MANDATED STYLE. FINALLY, AFTER MUCH SEARCHING, I FOUND A FORD SUV THAT HAD A MORE TOLERABLE HEAD RESTRAINT. I WAS VERY RELIEVED BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID THAT I WOULD HAVE TO BUY AN OLD USED CAR IN ORDER TO CONTINUE DRIVING. I HAVE MILD NECK ARTHRITIS, AND YOUR NEW STYLE OF HEAD RESTRAINTS CAUSED ME SUCH DISCOMFORT THAT I WAS WILLING TO SELL MY 5 DAY OLD HONDA ACCORD (WITH 225 MILES) AND LOSE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS (DUE TO DEPRECIATION)! IN ADDITION, I WORRY THAT THE HEAD RESTRAINTS ARE HURTING OTHER PEOPLE. I AM A PHYSICIAN, AND I KNOW THAT CHRONIC REPETITIVE STRESS CAN SOMETIMES LEAD TO SEVERE INJURY. WITH SO MANY DEALERS AND CUSTOMERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE NEW HEAD RESTRAINTS "NOT BEING COMFORTABLE," I SUSPECT THAT THE NEW RESTRAINTS ARE CAUSING NECK STRAIN TO MANY PEOPLE. I JUST HAPPEN TO BE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE BECAUSE OF MY NECK ARTHRITIS. PERHAPS YOU CAN USE ME AS A SENTINEL CHICKEN TO REALIZE THE PROBLEM THAT YOU HAVE CREATED. PLEASE CONSULT WITH YOUR ADVISING PHYSICIANS ABOUT WHETHER THE NTHSA COULD BE INADVERTENTLY CAUSING NECK STRAIN AND EVENTUAL NECK INJURY TO MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. I DON'T WANT THIS EXPERIENCE TO HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. REGULATIONS SHOULD HELP NOT HURT. YOURS HAVE HURT ME PHYSICALLY AND FINANCIALLY. PLEASE ALLOW MANUFACTURERS TO REDESIGN THE HEAD RESTRAINTS SO THAT THEY ARE COMFORTABLE AS WELL AS SAFE, OR AT LEAST GIVE OPTIONS TO PEOPLE LIKE ME WITH MEDICAL PROBLEMS.