“I’m the only one…”
A video about preferred rear-seating positions in cars has sparked a viral debate about both safety and personal preference.
TikTok user Diana (@dianaluvsflowers) uploaded a video highlighting her preference to sit behind the front passenger, regardless of the vehicle. “The best siblings sit on the right side,” she wrote in the caption.
However, throngs of commenters had differing opinions. One person who replied to her video wrote, “Behind the driver is so much better.” This was echoed by a second, who opined, “Always behind the driver.”
Another person agreed with Diana’s assessment as to which rear seat is superior: “behind the passenger always.” There wasn’t much love for the middle seat, however. As one wrote, “middle seats are so bad.”
Taking personal preference out of the equation, there are indeed some positions in a vehicle’s rear seat that serve better functions than others. When it comes to child safety and car seats, a blog post by car seat manufacturer Clek states that middle seats reign supreme.
“Simply stated, the middle seat is the furthest from impact during a collision, as well as furthest away from airbags. The National Highway Safety Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that all children under the age of 13 ride in the back seat, ideally in the center,” Clek reports.
The company continues, “The rear center seat is also recommended as the best place for kids’ car seats… the AAP found that children in the rear center seat have a 43% lower risk of injury.”
Popular Science corroborates these claims with some additional analytics. The outlet noted how one study in particular analyzed a slew of “fatal crash[es]” that occurred “in the United States between 2000 and 2003.” The numbers indicated that the person sitting in the middle seat almost always survived at a “25% higher” rate than those sitting in side seats.
The amount of space someone has to stretch out could also play a factor in which seat is most comfortable in the back of a car. For instance, the 2025 Toyota Corolla, one of the more popular cars on the road, has 34.8 inches of rear legroom.
If the driver is taller, they’re more likely to push their seat back while driving, which will impede the amount of legroom for the person sitting behind them. If there’s no one sitting in the front passenger seat, or the front passenger is shorter, whoever’s sitting behind them will likely have more room to stretch out.
It’s for this reason that folks may subconsciously find themselves sitting behind the passenger seat whenever they get into a rideshare driver’s vehicle.
On the flip side, if you’re riding in a packed car with a shorter driver, then the seat situated right behind the driver will probably have more legroom.
Still, there are indeed folks who have very strong opinions as to which section of a car’s rear passenger bench is best. This r/polls sub post clocked in over 1,000 votes from Reddit users, and one side of the car was more popular.
One hundred and seventy-four users who said they were the oldest child among their siblings sat on the left side. In identical circumstances, however, 209 of the eldest siblings chose the right-rear passenger seat.
Two hundred and seven people who weren’t the oldest child said they preferred the left side, while 268 who were a younger sibling preferred the right rear passenger seat.
Among individuals who were the only child, only 61 people chose the left side behind the driver. Conversely, 104 people without siblings opted for the right.
If you’re often riding around with passengers in the back, there are some manufacturers who produce vehicles that accommodate backseat travelers better than others.
If you’re looking for small cars with capacious backseats in 2026, the Hyundai Elantra and Kia K4 offer a lot of room to stretch out in this segment at 38 inches.
For midsize sedans, the Honda Accord and Volkswagen Arteon give riders an impressive 40.8 and 40.2 inches of space, respectively.
For subcompact crossover SUVs, the Chevrolet Trailblazer gives 39 inches of legroom, and the Trax is a hair less at 38.7 inches. For smaller crossover SUVs, the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage provide 41.3 inches, giving commuters ample space. And larger SUVs and minivans typically offer 40+ inches, which could be a big selling point for folks who regularly travel with multiple passengers.
Motor1 has reached out to Diana via TikTok comment for further information. This story will be updated if she responds.
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