Crash impact positions — Connecticut Permit Test

Crash impact positions on the Connecticut permit test — 3 rules, each with the reason behind it and a question on it while it is fresh.

The rules

If your vehicle is hit from the rear your body is thrown backwards, so press yourself against the back of your seat, put your head against the head restraint, and be ready to brake so you are not pushed into another vehicle.

The second impact is the one you can still do something about, and it is the one the brake pedal prevents.

Press yourself against the back of your seat and put your head against the head restraint.

Connecticut Driver's Manual, p.41

If your vehicle is hit from the side your body is thrown toward the side that is hit, front airbags do not help, and the lap and shoulder belts are what keep you behind the wheel.

A front airbag fires at a front impact. A side impact throws you somewhere it was never built to catch you.

Front airbags will not help in this situation. Your lap and shoulder belts are needed to help keep you behind the wheel.

Connecticut Driver's Manual, p.41

If your vehicle is about to be hit from the front, try to turn so that you take a glancing blow rather than being struck head-on.

A glancing blow spreads the impact over time. Head-on delivers all of it at once.

it is important to try and have a “glancing blow” rather than being struck head-on

Connecticut Driver's Manual, p.41

On the test

What does a driver do when about to be hit from the rear?

Press back against the seat and be ready to brake. The second impact is the one you can still do something about, and it is the one the brake pedal prevents. Connecticut Driver's Manual, p.41: “Press yourself against the back of your seat and put your head against the head restraint.”

How this works

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Where these come from

Every rule here is checked against Connecticut Driver's Manual, published by the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles, and against the state code itself. Last checked 2026-09-16.