Can Whiplash Be Prevented?

A whiplash-type injury is the most common injury you are likely to sustain when involved in a car accident. Statistics estimate that around 50,000 people in the UK suffer from the painful neck injury each year. But is there anything we can do to avoid it? There has been some research into the condition that has shown that some of the injuries sustained could have been avoided.

Head restraints are fitted in all cars for the purpose of preventing whiplash-related injuries. They work by protecting the head from snapping back in the hyperextension motion and therefore reducing the chance of any tissue or ligament damage occurring in the neck area. However, it is vital that they are adjusted to an appropriate position so that they can provide maximum protection for the neck.  The head restraint needs to be angled so that it is as close to the back of the head as possible and as high as the top of the occupant’s head. This will minimise the backwards head movement in a collision situation.

However, a lot of people do not know the correct way to position their head restraints and therefore are not protecting themselves in the best way possible. Many people will not even attempt to adjust or alter them at all. Statistics show that overall 72% of car users had their head restraints incorrectly positioned and therefore are not making the most out of them.

The effectiveness of head restraints may vary between different car manufacturers as it is up to them to do the research into optimum whiplash injury protection. Saab has proved to be at the forefront of whiplash protection having fitted effective head restraints in their vehicles for many years. Saab’s unique head restraint ensures that when a rear-end accident occurs; the driver’s body w ill hit the back of the seat and activate a pressure pad that in turn activates the head restraint. The head restraint is pushed up and towards the back of the head, thus preventing the neck from being stretched as it extends backwards.

Volvo is also well-known for protecting car users by investing a lot financially in to effective technology that has proven to decrease the risk of whiplash-type injuries sustained. The company has developed an all-in-one seat and headrest that cannot be adjusted. The WHIPS (Whiplash Protection System) as it is known has helped to reduce whiplash-type injuries by 51% overall.

If you have sustained a whiplash-type injury through no fault of your own then you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation to cover any losses you have incurred and any pain and suffering you have endured as a direct result of the accident.