Whiplash is the most common injury in vehicle crashes
You can get a whiplash injury in a relatively minor rear-end shunt, particularly if the head restraint on your seat isn't adjusted properly. You might feel anything from mild stiffness with headaches and dizziness to more serious and long-term impairment.
Whiplash is the most common injury in vehicle crashes and can lead to long painful and debilitating symptoms for many years, even though it is officially classed as a minor injury.
Symptoms vary from relatively mild stiffness accompanied by headaches and occasional dizziness to more serious, long-term permanent impairment.
Whiplash is difficult to diagnose and difficult to treat. It is also expensive:
The actual injury mechanisms of whiplash are still poorly understood but it is known that a good car seat, and in particular good head restraint design/adjustment can reduce the risk and severity of whiplash injuries in any car accident.
BioRID helps test car seats
Working with global partners, the Insurance-backed Thatcham research centre, has developed a test which recreates a typical 10mph rear-end impact. This is now being used to assess, rate and compare the performance of car seat and head restraint systems.
A special Rear Impact Dummy (BioRID) measures the forces acting on the neck and the way the head and neck are supported through the crash.
Seats that work well have large head restraints that support your head and neck through the crash and can reduce the forces acting on your neck in the crash. Many seats now have special anti-whiplash features that absorb crash forces or move the head restraint automatically to position it in the best place to reduce injuries.
You should check regularly that the head restraints in your car are adjusted properly.
For best protection the head restraint should be:
Reducing the number and cost of whiplash claims
(Runs from 11 Dec 2012 to 8 Mar 2013)
Increases in claims for compensation relating to whiplash injuries are having a significant impact on the motor insurance premiums paid by individuals, families and businesses.
The Ministry of Justice is currently consulting on the creation of independent medical panels to support better diagnosis of possible whiplash injuries. In addition, the consultation also looks at whether the small claims track threshold for damages for personal injury claims arising from road traffic accidents should be raised.
The views and opinions of all stakeholders are an important part of the policy process - contributions to this consultation from all affected individuals or groups are welcome and The Ministry of Justice will review all submissions and intends to publish a response in Spring 2013.
(12 December 2012)
