Whiplash Children
Whiplash in children; a hidden problem?
With the UK being hailed as the 'Whiplash capital of Europe', the problem of this injury is well documented among adult sufferers with plenty of research being conducted into ensuring drivers and passengers are given maximum protection. But what about children? Much has been said of the dangers of badly fitting child seats and growing concern is being voiced about the hazards of the rear seats in 7 seater 'SUV' type vehicles. With greater emphasis being placed on fuel efficiency and reducing carbon footprints, is adequate research still being put into whether children are safe in modern cars from the effects of whiplash?
"What most people don't realise is that the injuries to children travelling in vehicles, even at low speed collisions, can be much worse than those suffered by adults," comments Nicholas Jervis, managing director of whiplash specialists 1st Claims. "The greatest fear for any parent is their child being hurt in an accident and if they can do something to reduce that risk, then it's obvious that any new developments are going to be universally welcomed," he adds.
Statistics have shown that women and children are most likely to be affected by whiplash injuries caused by low speed impact. Due to their relative vulnerability in terms of bone structure and the ability to cope with pain, their injuries are often more severe and long lasting. A six year old's spine is only around 25% the strength of an adult's, although younger children do have a greater degree of flexibility and range of movement in their spine which may go some way to explaining why so few children below the age of puberty are admitted to hospital suffering from whiplash injuries. The problem really starts to become more obvious in older children and according to the results of a Swedish study, the risks of whiplash injury increases in this age bracket. The findings suggest that this is because of the physiological changes that the child undergoes in this period.
The study interviewed 100 children under the age of 17 all of whom had been involved in low impact collisions. 61% of those questioned were rear seat passengers. "The study shows that more needs to be done to protect not only young children travelling in the rear of vehicles, but for all back seat passengers," says Nicholas. "A great deal of research has gone into improving head restraints and seat positioning for front seat passengers and drivers, but little research so far has looked at the potential risk to those travelling in the back," he adds.
Although it is now a requirement in the UK to wear rear seat belts in cars that have them fitted, the basic design of rear seats and headrests has remained unchanged for some time. Because young children who may be too big for car seats are being forced to adopt a position in seating designed for adults, Nicholas and many others in the industry who deal with whiplash claims on a daily basis feel that the vulnerability of rear seat passengers is now something that should be looked at more closely. "If we can encourage the motor industry to take a fresh look at rear seat configuration and perhaps incorporate some of the research and development that has gone into front seat positioning, we will start to see a decrease in rear seat whiplash victims," he says. "It's wonderful to see car manufacturers taking a positive lead in things such as reducing carbon emissions and making vehicles more fuel efficient, but basic safety should always be of primary concern particularly for younger passengers," he adds.
Nicholas and his colleagues are hoping that the emphasis will shift towards this emotive issue. "I would hate to see a continuing situation where children are suffering what can be a seriously debilitating injury when the know how and technology exists that can go towards solving this problem," concludes Nicholas.
You Need To Know More Vital Information About Whiplash?
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- How to obtain private treatment for your injuries at no cost to you
- How to quickly obtain a replacement car or motorcycle if you need to
- Why accepting an offer directly from the other driver's insurance company could cost you thousands of pounds and lead to longterm injury problems
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