Safety agency calls for whiplash tests

A European road safety agency has called for the car rating body Euro NCAP to include whiplash protection in its testing of cars. The recommendation comes from the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) which is concerned that whiplash injuries have increased over the past 20 years, despite road fatalities and injuries falling in many European countries during this time.

The ETSC suggests this could be a result of increasingly rigid car designs which offer better protection against crush injuries, but result in greater stress being placed on the neck during crashes.

Whiplash is the most common injury in a crash, accounting for over 65 per cent of all injuries, and estimated to cost the European economy more than €10 billion a year in treatment and sick leave.

A whiplash injury usually occurs when a car is struck from behind leading to the head moving backwards sharply. Research has suggested that up to 20 per cent of whiplash injuries can lead to life-long problems, with these long-term injuries accounting for the majority of costs.

The study also found that drivers are most likely to suffer whiplash as they tend to lean forward over the steering-wheel while driving, whereas passengers are more likely to use a headrest and are less likely to suffer whiplash injuries as a result. Women are also more likely to suffer from the injury, although it is not clear why.

Seat and headrest design is one of the biggest factors in preventing whiplash injuries, and since the late 1990s many car manufacturers have started incorporating whiplash prevention systems in their designs.

Most involve a change in the geometry of the head rest and seat at the time of collision to slow the movement of the upper body and reduce the movement of the neck. The ETSC report says that one such safety system introduced by Volvo resulted in whiplash injuries being reduced by half. Similar systems introduced by General Motors - owner of Opel and Saab - and Nissan saw whiplash injuries fall by approximately 40 per cent.

Regardless of the design, seats and headrests must be adjusted to fit the driver to best prevent injuries. To inform car buyers of a car's performance in whiplash crash tests, the ETSC has called for increased independent testing of whiplash protection systems and for these results to be made available to consumers.

It notes that a new test procedure for Euro Ecap is under development and has called for whiplash systems to be included.

The ETSC also wants the European Commission to adopt a whiplash policy in its road safety strategy and encourage national governments to provide tax incentives to encourage consumers to buy cars with whiplash protection systems.

Whiplash injuries will be discussed at an international road safety conference at Tylösand, Sweden next month.