Too many cars 'poor' on whiplash

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Volvo and Saab praised by Thatcham
Only 16% of cars rated as good in tests
Many five-star Euro NCAP cars rated poor

Not enough cars protect their occupants from whiplash

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Volvo and Saab have been singled out for praise in the latest round of whiplash testing by Thatcham, an independent testing body - but many makes and models do little to protect occupants.

The Swedish manufacturers are commended by Thatcham for their efforts in minimising whiplash injuries in rear-end collisions.

In all, however, only 16% of the car seats tested were rated 'good', while 36% got the lowest rating 'poor'.

Thatcham's report says: 'Many manufacturers introduced designs that attempted to reduce whiplash injuries, but the test showed many simply do not work.'

Many cars rated as poor in the Thatcham whiplash tests have won five out of five stars in separate Euro NCAP impact tests, which only look at front- and side-impact protection.

These include the BMW 1 and 3 Series, BMW X5, Citroen C4, Lexus GS, Toyota Verso and Peugeot 1007.

Daihatsu, Kia, Porsche and Suzuki refused to supply some or all of their car seats for testing, but the remainder of the results can be found in full on Thatcham's website by clicking here.

Whiplash and how to avoid it
Whiplash, or damage to the soft tissue in the neck, is the most common injury experienced by UK motorists.

Hundreds of thousands of car passengers receive whiplash injuries in the UK each year, with around 10% experiencing long-term symptoms. Thatcham reckons compensation for whiplash injuries costs more than £1 billion a year and adds £40 to every insurance policy.

Women are at more risk of injury than men. Taller females between the ages of 20 and 50 are two-and-a-half times more likely to be injured than their male counterparts.

Ensuring your head restraint is in the proper position can help to minimise injuries in an accident. Make sure the top of the head restraint is level with the top of your head. Position it as close to the back of your head as possible.

Defensive driving can also help to avoid accidents in the first place. Brake gradually when you need to come to a halt, and look out for drivers behind you who may not have their eye on the road.