Neck strains or whiplash injuries are common

Neck strains, or whiplash injuries, as they are sometimes called, are among the most common injuries received in a car accident. Most cases occur in rear-impact collisions, but side-impact collisions that cause the head to move violently from side to side also can result in neck strain. In fact, any car accident may cause neck strain injuries if the impact rotates or bends the neck.

In most cases neck strain is considered to be a “minor injury” but recovery can take weeks, months, even years. It’s estimated that the cost of treating neck strain injuries is more than $4.5 billion per year in the U.S., including medical costs, lost time from work, and other costs. Neck strains can also cause other major medical problems such as brain injury and spinal cord injury.

Since 1969, head restraints (or “head rests”) on seats have been mandatory in passenger cars for sale in the U.S.; in 1991 this regulation was extended to light trucks, vans, and other vehicles. According to the current standards, the head restraints must be at least 27.5 inches above the seat bottom when fully extended. Further, the head restraint must be at least 6.5 inches wide (10 inches for bench seats) at the point 25 inches above the seat bottom.

Head restraint protection is minimal

Even so, head restraints offer minimal protection. A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study in 1982 found that head restraints reduced overall risk of neck injury from rear-impact collisions only 17% of the time with fixed restraints, and 10% of the time with adjustable ones. The difference is thought to be due to the fact that many people do not fully extend the headrest to its proper position.

Clearly there is room for improvement. Front airbags have helped reduce the number of neck strains, and side airbags – which may become standard in the near future – also reduce the risk. There is also research into “head airbags” which would further cushion the head and neck from injury.

One study suggests that a very simple solution exists to reduce the number of neck strains, and that is to increase the required height of head restraints. Experiments with a crash test dummy of average male height revealed that extending the height of the neck restraint to 29.5 and 31.5 inches above the seat bottom “substantially reduced loads on the cervical spine” and in turn reduced the risk of injury. According to the study, the results can be extended to adults of different sizes, meaning that the best location for the headrest would move up and down depending on the sitting height of the passenger.

Contact a whiplash injury lawyer today

If you have been injured in an accident that involved neck strain, spinal cord injury, or any other type of injury, contact the auto accident experts at Jim S. Adler & Associates. We’ll ensure that your rights are protected, and that you receive the compensation you deserve. Contact us today by calling directly or by clicking on a link on this page for a free case review.