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02/04/2007

Study shows drivers have power to reduce whiplash claims

The latest research from Thatcham reveals that if people were to use their head restraints properly a reduction in the amount of whiplash claims made could be seen.

Thatcham, the Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre, carried out a survey involving 1,400 drivers and their vehicles which revealed some interesting, if not worrying, facts about the British public.

It was revealed that 63% of drivers have their head restraint in the wrong position and 43% of women had their head restraint in the correct position compared to just 25% of men.

Road safety experts state that the top of the head restraint should be level with the top of the driver's or passenger's head or at least no lower than eye level and as close as possible to the back of the head when sitting comfortably in the seat of the car.

A massive 250,000 UK motorists sustain whiplash injuries every single year, 25,000 of which end up suffering permanent disability as a result.

According to the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), around 70% of people who sustain minor injuries in road accidents have suffered whiplash. People who sustain whiplash injuries experience a variety of symptoms from neck and shoulder pain to headaches and require an average of 39 days off work to recover. Eight % of these patients do not fully recover up to four years after their personal injury has occurred.

However, crash test dummy tests have shown a vast improvement in the quality of protection offered by a variety of manufacturers. Head restraint results for 2007 show:

• Twenty nine % as good (16% as good for 2005)
• Twenty six % as acceptable (24% as acceptable for 2005)
• Twenty five % as marginal (24% as marginal for 2005)
• Twenty % as poor (36% as poor for 2005)

When Thatcham examined vehicle models for 2007 they found that car manufacturers are beginning to take the risk of whiplash claims more seriously.

Approximately 80% of new European seat designs achieved a 'good' or 'acceptable' score in tests and both Sabb and Volvo, the leaders when it comes to protection against whiplash, featured seats that were rated as 'good' for each new model on sale. Ford and Renault also look to be in the running to reduce whiplash claim rates with the introduction of their new seats complete with anti-whiplash technology.

Matthew Avery, Crash Lab Manager for Thatcham has commented, "The manufacturers are doing their bit - now the public have got to wake up to whiplash."

"The head restraint should be seen as every bit as important as the seat belt yet people seem oblivious as to how to use it properly."

"If people are made aware of the risks they are running they would take a few seconds to adjust their restraint whenever they get in to a vehicle."

"More than 125,000 whiplash injuries could be prevented in this country each year if people took a little time out to save their necks."

For more information of Thatcham please visit http://www.thatcham.org.