A vehicle passenger restricting system is provided to restrict passenger movement so that a space between a passenger's head and the ceiling of the vehicle is effectively enlarged when a rollover condition occurs. The vehicle passenger restricting system has a passenger seat, a rollover detector, a seat tilting device and a controller. The rollover detector detects a vehicle rollover condition. The vehicle passenger restricting device restricts passenger movement on the passenger seat. The seat tilting device tilts the seat in a backward direction. The controller activates the seat tilting device to recline the seat backwards when the rollover detector detects the vehicle rollover condition exists. Preferably, the controller also operates the restricting device when it determines that a rollover condition exists.