Whiplash is generally caused by a rear-end shunt which even at moderate to low speeds can cause the occupants of a vehicle to have their heads whipped forward with such force that it causes damage to the neck.
As the rear-end shunt is one of the most common types of accident seen on the road, they result in a great deal of personal injury claims, making them a less than pleasant matter for insurers – and in turn, everyone’s insurance premiums.
However, a great deal of physical and financial pain can be potentially avoided by following some simple rules laid out by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM). These lessen your chances of being involved in a fender-bender and ensuing neck injury.
For starters, your seat position, particularly regarding the head rest, is of paramount importance when it comes to minimising the effects of whiplash. The top of the head rest should be level with the top of your head, not underneath as many people position it.
Otherwise, you can concentrate on your driving and ensure you accelerate and brake smoothly and gently when coming to queues of traffic, junctions and so forth.
Drivers can find it difficult to judge how hard someone is braking, so if you’re slamming the anchors on, that vastly increases the risk of the car behind giving you a shunt.
Similarly, if you take off like a revving boy racer on a mission, it might be you who finds they react too late to some heavy braking in front. Never drive too near to the car in front of you.
Be watchful of and anticipate the flow of traffic ahead, so you can slow down earlier when you see that you’ll need to, and give drivers behind you more time to react to your braking.
When in a queue you should keep an eye on the rear-view mirror and be aware of traffic approaching from behind. Keep your foot lightly touching the brake pedal to show your lights as a warning, until you’re sure you’ve been seen and the vehicle behind is slowing.
Finally, try to signal for turns as early as possible – and don’t jam the brakes on if you miss your exit and see it at the last minute, just keep driving and come back round.
IAM chief examiner Peter Rodger commented: “The rise in whiplash compensation claims is driving up car insurance premiums. Whiplash is most commonly caused by a rear end shunt – you can reduce the risk of being in one simply by taking these steps.”
And hopefully, you’ll be one less statistic in the ever increasing numbers of drivers who are asking: how much do I get for whiplash?