Headrests "as important as seat belts"

[Lorbinhoot]

Hi Guys,

 

Saw this article today. cheers

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Over 125,000 motorists and passengers in Britain could be being injured in accidents each year purely because they have not adjusted their head restraints properly, a study has found.

 

The study by insurance researchers Thatcham, argues that although 80 percent of head restraints in new European vehicles have received good or acceptable safety ratings, many motorists are failing to use them in the correct way.

 

Around 250,000 UK motorists suffer whiplash injuries every year, of which around 10 percent lead to permanent disability.

 

Matthew Avery, Thatcham's Crash Lab Manager said of the findings: "the head restraint should be seen as every bit as important as the seat belt".

 

The survey of 1,400 motorists blamed the number of injuries on a lack of public understanding on how to use head restraints properly.

 

The restraint should be touching the back of the head so that the body absorbs the force of an impact as a single unit rather than bending back at the neck.

 

The survey also found that only 25 percent of men and 43 percent of women used their head restraint properly.

 

"These figures are shocking," said Avery. "If people are made aware of the risks they are running, they would take a few seconds to adjust their restraint whenever they get into a vehicle."

 

The study said Thatcham crash dummy testing showed a dramatic improvement in the quality of protection offered by manufacturers this year.

 

Saab and Volvo continue to lead the way in whiplash safety, it said, and singled out Honda for special praise, saying the latest generation of Honda Civic and CR-V models had gone to being rated "Good" from their "Poor" rating of previous years.

 

 

 

 

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=...ec=worldupdates

[Imuya]

Yeap, don't play around with whiplash injury.

 

Minor case just neck pain. Serious cases can affect your spinal cord leading disabilities.

 

You can get it even in a low-speed collision when you buang by a vehicle from the rear.

[Conservative]

Anyone feel like installing HANS too ....

 

[Ccssgm]

If Accident.....May Cause.....Neck Injury.....

[Liping24]

Yes..many cars are now designed with rear headrest as well.

In fact every part of the car is important contribution to safety.

[Ben0704]

continent car have had it long ago..

[Lbc13]

That reminds me... my first Lancer 7 years ago had a super badly designed head rest... i could feel a metal piece in it, more likely to crack my scull than save me!

[Wilb]

When driving, i dont rest my head on the head rest.. shiet dunnoe wrong anot

[Lbc13]

head rest is not there for you to rest on, it's there to break the whiplash effect on your neck up.

[Ccssgm]

That Is Why.........Head Rest Is Install.....