For anyone who has suffered a whiplash injury (as I have), it is no fun. Whilst the media at the moment constantly talks about whiplash as a trivial thing, the reality is that it can be a painful and debilitating injury. It really can be a right royal pain in the neck.
Actually it occurs to me that I can offer some help to those talking about whiplash at the moment. If any of the media or the Government who are at the moment trivialising whiplash on a daily basis would like to better understand what it actually feels like, I will happily take them to Thatcham Safety and ask the very nice and safety conscious people there to set up a standard whiplash collision for them. I will even cover the expenses for this little trip. Once they have experienced the pain of whiplash I am certain they will not talk about it as if it is some sort of ‘fabricated’ injury.
Anyway, back to the point of today’s blog, accident prevention and correct car head restraint position, anything that you can do to prevent whiplash, or at least minimalise the pain of whiplash, is a very positive thing to do. Adjusting your car head restraint (or car head seat support/car headrest) is one simple thing you can do that can have a major impact on the amount of pain you experience if someone does decide to drive into the back of your car (or front or side even). A correctly adjusted car head restraint can in some cases prevent you from experiencing any pain, or can at least reduce the amount of whiplash pain that you experience. On the flip side, a poorly adjusted car head restraint can actually increase the amount of whiplash pain experienced.
The purpose of this article is to help you adjust your car head restraint for the maximum benefit for yourself and any passengers in your car or other motor vehicle.
1. Car Head Restraint Too Low
If your car head restraint is too low, it can cause you a lot of harm. In the typical whiplash injury scenario your car is shunted from behind whilst stationary. This causes your body to be pushed forward by the car seat, but then as the seatbelt pulls you back your head, not attached to the seatbelt, keeps moving forward until your body ‘whips’ it back. If your head restraint is too low it whips it back right over the top of the head restraint causing it to drastically over stretch, causing a much more severe whiplash injury.
2. Car Head Restraint Too High
If your head restraint is too high, in the whipping back process you can actually hit your head onto the car head restraint stalks, the silver or chrome stands which support your head restraint. These could cause a much more severe injury to your head than a simple whiplash injury.
It is really important that you take the time to ensure that your head restraint is not positioned too high for your driving position. A few seconds of your time now could save a lot of your time recovering from an injury later, so it is time well spent.
3. Car Head Restraint In Correct Position
If you correctly position your car head restraint, it can do the best possible job for you and support your head in the event of an accident.
As your head ‘whips’ backwards the head restraint can do what it is designed for and cushion your head from whipping backwards too far. Car head restraint job done, whiplash injury minimalised.
Summary
I urge you to take the time to adjust your car head restraint the next time you get into your car. For just a few seconds of your time, you could literally save yourself from months of pain.
Please remember my offer; if you are or you know David Cameron, Jack Straw or any other politician who belittles a whiplash injury, or a journalist from the Daily Mail or any other newspaper who belittles whiplash injury, allow me to take you to Thatcham Safety and they will be able to show you exactly what a whiplash injury feels like so that you are then qualified to comment on it. You can reach me on 0800 2888 693 or on info@1stclaims.co.uk.
Nicholas Jervis
Campaigner for innocent accident victims and Solicitor (non-practising).
Author: Nicholas Jervis
